[Reflux disease and Barrett esophagus--monitoring and therapy]

Heartburn and epigastric pain are the leading symptoms of reflux disease. Next to other symptoms like pharyngeal burning, regurgitation and retrosternal pain, chronic hoarseness and coughing as well as angina pectoris symptoms may point towards a pathological reflux. In endoscopically verified reflux esophagitis proton pump inhibitors are the treatment of first choice. Aim of therapy is loss of symptoms, healing of epithelial defects and prevention of Barrett's esophagus. If a columnar epithelium-lined esophagus is seen, surveillance is recommended in one- or two-year intervals.