REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EndoGastric Solutions, Inc.® today announced the companies’ national campaign, “GERD Gourmet; Recipes for Reflux,” supporting GERD Awareness Week, November 20th-26th. The campaign aims to provide healthy, easy-to-follow reflux-friendly recipes to millions of Americans suffering from GERD.
GERD is a chronic disease that affects nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population.1 Symptoms can be debilitating for those affected and, in severe cases, can cause chronic heartburn, asthma, chronic cough, regurgitation, and hoarse voice or chest pain. Over time, chronic inflammation caused by GERD can trigger a change in the tissue lining of the lower esophagus, leading to a condition known as Barrett’s esophagus (BE). BE is a severe health condition associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
The International Federation for Gastrointestinal Diseases (IFFGD) designated Gerd Awareness Week as a time for encouraging individuals experiencing GERD symptoms to consult their physician and seek out information and support regarding the condition. In addition, the “Recipes for Reflux” campaign addresses a common challenge that GERD patients are forced to confront daily: preparing meals that will not trigger their symptoms.
“The first line of treatment for patients with GERD is often to make lifestyle changes, including diet and scheduled eating times. Unfortunately, for many people, making these adjustments can feel limiting and overwhelming. We hope that our ‘Recipes for Reflux’ cookbook will address the hurdle many GERD patients face every day when preparing daily meals,” said Andrea Millers, Senior Director of Market Development and Communications.
“While certain foods are shown to increase symptoms of GERD, triggers vary from patient to patient. That’s why this eCookBook was developed using recipe submissions from patients, physicians, and EGS employees,” said Michael Murray, MD, FACS, Director of Heartburn and Reflux Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center. “This compilation of recipe options will take the stress out of meal planning and enable those suffering from symptomatic GERD to add new choices to their rotation that other GERD sufferers have recommended.”
“The ‘GERD Gourmet; Recipes for Reflux’ cookbook is a resource that will allow patients to easily prioritize the dietary modifications that are often an outcome of symptomatic GERD,” said Ted Stephens, Vice President of Marketing and Professional Education. “GERD Awareness Week is the ideal time to remind patients that they should take their GERD symptoms seriously. In addition, when lifestyle modifications are not enough, patients should be educated on the safety and efficacy of treatment options available to address the anatomical causes of GERD, including the TIF procedure.”
References
1. Antunes C, Aleem A, Curtis SA. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. [Updated 2022 Jul 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441938/
About GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disease that affects nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population. It is a chronic condition in which the gastroesophageal valve (GEV) allows gastric contents to reflux (wash backwards) into the esophagus, causing heartburn and possible injury to the esophageal lining. In the United States (U.S.), GERD is the most common gastrointestinal-related diagnosis physicians make during clinical visits. Some patients may have mild or moderate symptoms of GERD, while others have more severe manifestations causing chronic heartburn, asthma, chronic cough, and hoarse voice or chest pain. Left untreated, GERD can develop into a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which is a precursor for esophageal cancer. The first treatment recommendation for patients with GERD is to make lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, scheduled eating times and sleeping positions). Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications are commonly used to treat GERD, but there are a variety of health complications associated with long-term dependency on PPIs, and more than 10 million Americans are refractory to PPI therapy and may opt for surgery.
About Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF® 2.0 procedure) for Reflux
The TIF 2.0 procedure enables an incisionless approach to fundoplication in which a device is inserted through the mouth, down the esophagus and into the upper portion of the stomach. This approach offers patients looking for an alternative to traditional surgery an effective treatment option to correct the underlying cause of GERD. Based on clinical studies, most patients stopped using daily medications to control their symptoms and had their esophageal inflammation (esophagitis) eliminated up to five years after the TIF 2.0 procedure. Additionally, clinical results have demonstrated that concomitant laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair (LHHR) immediately followed by TIF 2.0 procedure is safe and effective in patients requiring repair of both anatomical defects.
Over 30,000 TIF procedures have been performed worldwide. More than 140 peer-reviewed papers have consistently documented the sustained improved clinical outcomes and exemplary safety profile the TIF procedure provides to patients suffering from GERD. For more information, please visit www.GERDHelp.com.
About EndoGastric Solutions®
Based in Redmond, Washington, EndoGastric Solutions, Inc. (www.endogastricsolutions.com), is a medical device company developing and commercializing innovative, evidence-based, incisionless surgical technology for the treatment of GERD. EGS has combined the most advanced concepts in gastroenterology and surgery to develop products and procedures to treat gastrointestinal diseases, including the TIF 2.0 procedure—a minimally invasive solution that addresses a significant unmet clinical need. Join the conversation on Twitter: @GERDHelp, Facebook: GERDHelp, Instagram: GERDHelp and LinkedIn: EndoGastric Solutions
