Heartburn’s Hidden Impact: A Narrative Review Exploring Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) as a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor

Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very common disease with an estimated 442 million cases worldwide. It is a well-documented independent risk factor for many gastrointestinal pathologies, however, its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear, despite its high prevalence in patients with CVD. Although traditionally considered a causative agent of noncardiac chest pain, a common imitator of cardiac chest pain, or an incidentally shared comorbidity in patients with CVD, a number of studies have implicated GERD and its therapies as risk factors for CVD. This narrative review will explore the relationship between GERD and CVD, including medical and mechanical therapeutic approaches for GERD that could potentially impact the incidence, progression, and mortality of CVD.

Keywords

• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• coronary artery disease (CAD)
• atherosclerosis
• myocardial infarction (MI)
• proton pump inhibitor (PPI)