Pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive diseases in the Western world, with typical symptoms, such as heartburn, regurgitation, or retrosternal pain, reported by 15% to 20% of the general population. The pathophysiology of GERD is multifactorial. Our understanding of these factors has significantly improved in recent years, with increased understanding of the acid pocket and hiatal hernia and how these factors interact. Although our insight has significantly increased over the past years, more studies are required to better understand symptom generation in GERD, especially in patients with therapy-resistant symptoms.