Dyspepsia and reflux

Dyspepsia is a broad term often used to describe functional gastrointestinal disorders of the stomach and oesophagus. These fall into three main categories: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), peptic ulcer disease and functional dyspepsia. It is well known that the clinical symptoms which fall under this term contribute to a significant population-wide health problem. Individuals who suffer with heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion and stomach pains are assessed based on their clinical presentation, lifestyle and family history to determine the underlying aetiology.

Diagnosing dyspepsia in primary care

Until recently, physicians in primary care have had limited access to reliable diagnostic tests for dyspepsia and stomach disease. This leads to the majority of patients being treated with strong antacids – such as omeprazole or lansoprazole – to alleviate the symptoms, without identifying the root cause. Experts agree that symptoms alone are a poor predictor of significant disease or underlying pathology. This means that more is needed to enable GPs to make positive diagnoses at the point of primary care to identify those patients at risk of disease. Ultimately, providing a diagnosis without the need for referral to endoscopy or other secondary care would both improve patient outcomes, and make better use of finite resources.

Diagnostic tests

BIOHIT supplies essential tests – such as GastroPanel and Peptest – that help to investigate dyspepsia in primary care. This allows GPs to adopt a test-and-treat or test-and-refer strategy to improve their practice. These tests help GPs to determine the health and function of the stomach prior to treating, and gain a clear understanding of the involvement of acid and pepsin. Physicians can then decide whether the patient should be referred to secondary care for further investigation, or can be treated with confidence in primary care.


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