KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar organised by the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) on Friday expressed their concern over the growing incidence of heartburn in the country — the precursor of other lethal illnesses — because of increasing complacence and lack of physical exercise.

The seminar was organised at the SIUT premises in collaboration with World Gastroenterology Organisa-tion (WGO) to mark World Digestive Health Day.

The audience was informed that heartburn was a burning sensation in the chest, just behind the sternum and occurred due to the reflux of acidic contents from the stomach into the food pipe (oesophagus).

They said it was a common medical disorder that affected about 25 per cent of the population worldwide.

Experts at the seminar stressed the need to create awareness about the causes and complications of heartburn.

According to a previous research, they added, approximately 24pc of the population was suffering from heartburn which seriously warranted creating awareness in Pakistan about the disease, its causes and repercussions.

The speakers asked people to avoid the intake of acid enhancing beverages, citrus fruit juices, carbonated, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages and spicy foods. It was also advised to avoid large meals and not to lie down at least two hours after meals.

Soups and salad for dinner would keep the stomach light and help in easy digestion compared to carbohydrate and starch-based foods.

Experts also recommended maintaining a good posture while eating meals. They said eating while watching TV did not offer to maintain the upright posture.

According to them, patients who were unresponsive to such lifestyle changes required medical therapy, and in certain complications the use of endoscopic or surgical options became necessary.

Highlighting the general complications of long term untreated heartburn, experts said that it could cause inflammation of the oesophagus, oesophageal ulcer or its narrowing and Barrett’s Esophagus which could lead to cancer of the oesophagus.

Heartburn in children, experts said, is different from adults with regurgitation, recurrent vomiting, recurrent chest infection, wheezing and complications in growth.

They added that extra-oesophageal complications in children were slightly more common like bronchial asthma, recurrent aspiration pneumonia, recurrent ear and throat infection while treatment options were similar to adults.

Those who addressed the seminar included Prof Anwar Naqvi, Dr Zaigham Abbas, Dr Rajesh Mandhwani, Dr Manzoor Siddiqui, Dr Muhammad Ali Khalid, Dr Amir Bakhsh, Dr Ghulamullah Lail and Dr Ghous Bux Soomro.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2015

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