Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Can GERD produce symptoms similar to heart disease?
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Can GERD produce symptoms similar to heart disease?
by sue3708, Jun 04, 2008 03:05PM
I am a 38 year old woman, 4'11' 128 lbs, a little overweight but not too bad. I am on prilosec OTC for GERD. I never get heartburn but If I don't take it after a few weeks I feel very sick. Currently I am having intermittant jaw, arm neck and chest pain accompanied by nausea and lightheadedness. I did a stress test 2 months ago and it was pretty normal. All EKG (3 inthe last 5 months) have been normal. Bloodwork is all normal. I had a holter and an echo a few years ago and that was normal too. My BP tends to run low and my pulse high. I went to my doctor this morning and he did and exam and EKG all seemed fine so he is changing me to prevacid.
My question is this if it is GERD how does that cause neck, jaw and arm pain and nausea and lightheadedness. Or is my doctor missing something?
I'm and ex smoker (13 years) and my chol. is a little elevated at 218, my LDL is 145.
Thank you
My question is this if it is GERD how does that cause neck, jaw and arm pain and nausea and lightheadedness. Or is my doctor missing something?
I'm and ex smoker (13 years) and my chol. is a little elevated at 218, my LDL is 145.
Thank you
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Jun 05, 2008 06:44PM
, Jun 05, 2008 06:44PM
It can cause all of those symptoms, however, depending on your risk profile for coronary artery disease, your doctor may lean more towards ruling out CAD. Having a normal echo, ekg and stress test is very reassuring. Also, the fact that your symptoms return when you are off the PPI is also suggestive that GERD is the likely etiology of your symptoms. Unfortunately, taking a PPI, such as prilosec, is not the answer to treating GERD. GERD is typically associated with poor lower esophageal sphincter tone which is related to a bad diet rich in fats, cholesterol, alcohol or caffeine, a lack of exercise which may lead to obesity and poor sleeping habits.
