The Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute has been ranked second in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Survey since 2003, and first in Ohio since 1990. <br><br> Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute (DDI) is the first of its kind to unite all specialists within one unique, fully integrated model of care - aimed at optimizing patient experience. At DDI we offer patients the most advanced, safest and proven medical and surgical treatments primarily focused on the gastrointestinal tract. Our departments include: <ul> <li>Gastroenterology & Hepatology <li>Colorectal Surgery <li>Hepato-pancreto-biliary and Transplant Surgery <li>Center for Human Nutrition </ul> Gary W. Falk, MD is currently a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He is also Director of the Center for Esophageal and Swallowing Disorders and has previously been Director of the GI Fellowship Training Program at Cleveland Clinic. He is currently an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Gastroenterology and a contributor to the Selected Summaries section of Gastroenterology. He is past President of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.<br><br> The focus of this Health Chat will be on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Barrett’s Esophagus.<br><br> <b>GERD</b> is also known as Acid Reflux, Gastric Reflux and Heartburn. GERD is a burning sensation in the center of the chest that often occurs after eating, bending over, with exercise, and sometimes at night when lying down. Approximately one in 10 adults has heartburn at least once a week and one in three monthly. Some pregnant women experience heartburn almost daily as a result of increased pressure on the abdomen and hormonal changes. Although its name implies otherwise, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. Rather, these symptoms indicate a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. <br><br> <b>Barrett's esophagus</b> is an irritation in the lining of the esophagus caused by chronic reflux of the contents from the stomach and small intestine into the esophagus. There are a number of risk factors for the development of Barrett's esophagus. Patients at greatest risk of developing Barrett's are Caucasian males over age 50 who have a history of chronic heartburn. <form name="signup_form2" method="post" action="/health_chats/register/16"><br/> <div class="actions float_fix"> <a onclick="return false;" id="signup_form2_submit" class="big_gr_btn" href="#"><img src="/RoR/images/blank.gif" class="btn_l_img pos_rel"/><span style="padding-top: 2px;" class="btn_r_txt pos_rel"><span class="btn_r_txt_w">Register</span></span></a> <span><input type="submit" value="signup_form_h_submit" name="commit" class="hidden_submit"/></span> <script> Event.observe(document.signup_form2, 'submit', function(e) { if (true) { $('signup_form2_submit').replace('<b>Submitting</b> <img src="/RoR/images/wait_arrows.gif">'); } else { Event.stop(e); } } ); Event.observe($('signup_form2_submit'), 'click', function(e) { if (true) { document.signup_form2.submit();$('signup_form2_submit').replace('<b>Submitting</b> <img src="/RoR/images/wait_arrows.gif">'); } }); </script> </div> </form> <br/>