[Esophageal reflux disease--comments on confusion in terminology, diagnosis and therapy]

Oesophageal reflux disease is a serious condition with an impact on the entire population. The provoking factor of the disease is gastroesophageal reflux which itself is not a disease but a normal physiological process. Reflux is described as pathological it is damages the oesophagus and respiratory tract. Oesophageal reflux disease develpomeps when antiferlux mechanisms fail, it is the consequence of impaired motility where the crucial role is played by dysfunction of the lower oesophageal sphincter. The most frequent consequence and manifestation of gastrooesophageal reflux is reflux oesophagitis which may be macroscopically obvious (endoscopically positive) or detectable only on histological examination (endoscopically negative--microscopic). Symptoms of reflux disease do not correlate with the severity of the disease. Some cases of roflux eosophagitis may be symptom-free. The diagnosis of oesophageal reflux disease is based in particular on an aimed case-history, endoscopy, histology and pH-metry. An open problem remains the relationship of reflux disease and the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection. In tratment either selective treatment (one drug) is used or graded (upward or downward) treatment. The upward therapeutic strategy (strating treatment with proton pump inhibitors) is as a rule economically more effective than the traditional downward strategy (strating treatment with less intensely acting drugs). Tretment is of long-term (maintenance treatment) which may be medicamentous or surgical. In oesophageal reflux disease there still remain controversial areas which must be elcudated as its incidence is rising and it is considered a disease of the 21st century.