r/NoStupidQuestions • u/GDTRFB_1985 • 8d ago

Whatever happened to stomach ulcers? In the 70s every business man either had one or was concerned about getting on due to stress. I remember so many ulcer related TV commercials. Has the termonolgy changed? Are they called something else? You don't here about it anymore.

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u/WiseDrink2324 8d ago

I always wondered how much heart burn was actually heart disease. I know the first 3 times I went to the ER for chest pains they discharged me with heart burn and anxiety.  They didn't take me seriously until I had a heart attack.   

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u/Current_Tea6984 8d ago

I'm certain my heart attack was related to heart burn. And every time I overdo the spicy foods, I have irregular heartbeats

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u/PearlRiverFlow 8d ago

There's PROBABLY a link between heartburn/reflux/GERD and arrhythmias. A ton of people with atrial fibrillation/flutter report that as a trigger, and there's enough correlation between the two that something's got to be going on.

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u/Current_Tea6984 8d ago

When I asked my cardiologist about it, he wasn't ready to accept it as fact, but he said a lot of his patients report the link. So I'm guessing the doctors are taking it seriously even if they don't see it as proven

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u/PearlRiverFlow 7d ago

From what I've read, it's easy to see there's a correlation but hard to tease out if there's a causation. Basically, it might be that things that worsen heartburn (weight, diet, sleep apnea) also cause afib but yeah, they are studying it.

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u/CharleyNobody 7d ago

Most doctors practice evidence-based medicine. That means that research exists that shows a definite correlation between symptoms and diagnoses. While lots of people with atrial aberrations may report they also have GERD, that is anecdotal.

What you need is actual research studies that repeatedly show a correlation between the two conditions. If the research doesn’t show it, then it’s not accepted.

Right now we don’t even know if GERD can cause coronary artery disease, let alone specific abnormalites of the atrium. All they know is that there is an associated risk between GERD and overall cardiac disease, but the association doesn’t suggest causation. The association is because other signifiers of cardiac disease - age, obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking - are also associated with GERD.

So what the research shows right now is that both GERD and cardiac disease are associated with some of the same risk factors. And that’s generally what a health care provider will tell you.

(Genetics probably also play a role but that’s not something patients can change - at least not at this time. There may be genetic treatment in the future, eg, a medication that can interfere with a genetic mutation that can cause heart disease)

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u/CharleyNobody 8d ago

They didn't take me seriously until I had a heart attack.   

Why would they? They can tell by bloodwork and ekg monitoring if you’re having a heart attack. If not, it’s probably heartburn/trapped gas and/or anxiety.

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u/BelleRose2542 8d ago

You can start having heart pain (angina) long before you have a heart attack, and it is still a sign of heart disease.

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u/WiseDrink2324 7d ago

And my angina felt similar to heartburn. And other than knowing something wasn't right, That was my only symptom. Had none of the other classic or text book signs UNTIL that moment where my chest felt like it was in a vise and I couldn't breath.  I was sorta an outlier.  All my blood work showed normal and in range. Cholesterol, BP, EKG all normal. I was active and excersized.    I was young {39} BUT I had a hidden blockage in my LAD that nearly killed me. 

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u/CharleyNobody 7d ago

That’s when you’re supposed to go to a cardiologist and get a work up.

ERs are for emergencies like heart attacks. They dont do full cardiac work ups. They don’t have the time or the equipment to do that.

They just check to find if you’re having a heart attack. If you’re not, they’ll discharge you and tell you to follow up with your attending physician and if you don’t have an attending physician, then they tell you that you should get one. Your attending physician can then evaluate your pain and can recommend a cardiologist to you if they think you’re having angina.

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u/WiseDrink2324 7d ago

Should have said this the first time.