Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which gastric contents reflux into the esophagus, causing troublesome or distressing symptoms. Symptoms typically include heartburn and regurgitation, but atypical manifestations can be present, including extraesophageal (laryngeal and pulmonary) symptoms. GERD is often attributed to incompetence of the lower esophageal sphincter. Other factors that contribute to GERD are decreased salivary production, delayed gastric emptying, and cytokine and chemokine release from gastric triggers.

GERD is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders seen by primary care physicians, emergency physicians, and gastroenterologists, with a prevalence of 13.3% worldwide and 15.4% in North America. Development of GERD is strongly associated with being overweight or obese. Other risk factors include age older than 50 years, cigarette smoking, NSAID use, female sex, and low socioeconomic status.

For patients presenting with typical symptoms of regurgitation or heartburn with no alarm symptoms, a diagnosis of GERD can be presumed and treated empirically. If dysphagia, atypical chest pain, chronic cough, odynophagia, and/or emesis are reported, further investigation is required before empiric treatment is recommended as an underlying motility disorder, structural abnormality, or malignancy may be present.