The Link Between Pneumonia & GERD

If you’ve got GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) you probably already deal with a number of uncomfortable, life-disrupting, and frankly annoying symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, and even sleep disruption. One thing you might not have thought about as a byproduct of GERD is pneumonia. But wait, isn’t that a respiratory disease? Join us as we explain the link between GERD and pneumonia (and why you might want to lay off the PPIs).

What Causes GERD?

A weakened lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is to blame for most of your GERD symptoms. When working correctly, the LES works as a kind of door between the end of your esophagus and the stomach, allowing food to pass through, and then closing back up so that your stomach contents can’t splash back into the esophagus. 

A number of causes can lead to the weakening of the LES. When this happens, your LES is no longer able to close up as well as it should, allowing stomach acid to splash back up into the esophagus. This is known as acid reflux. Certain lifestyle factors like your diet, smoking habits, activity levels, and even sleeping position can aggravate how much and how often reflux happens.

GERD Treatments

Since there are so many triggers for this disease and its symptoms, many practitioners prefer to target stomach acidity through proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). These medicines target the cells in the stomach lining, called parietal cells. Here’s the problem: when you take PPIs, you are treating your heartburn symptoms, not the cause of the disease. Furthermore, these medications can increase your risk factors for other conditions. The stomach should be a low pH, high acid environment; when we disturb this, we upset the natural balance.

Heartburn Medication

You can use many medications to treat your heartburn, but the best course of action is always to strike the direct cause of your disease. You may find more long-term benefits from lifestyle changes such as weight loss, smoking cessation, cutting out caffeinated beverages, and wearing looser clothing.

Pneumonia and GERD

GERD in and of itself can cause complications. For example, the use of PPIs (Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, and Nexium) has been linked to further undesirable conditions: increased risk for severe infection and decreased absorption of essential vitamins. Patients on PPIs are 2.9 times more likely to develop Clostridium difficile infections, a severe illness that can cause life-threatening diarrhea. Additionally, pneumonia seems to be a comorbidity in patients who struggle with GERD.

Pneumonia Risk Factors

It might seem strange that pneumonia and GERD are linked; it makes sense, though, when we consider the stomach’s decreased acidity. When the stomach contents aren’t high-acid as intended, bacteria can survive where they usually wouldn’t. At night, many patients with GERD struggle with regurgitation while lying down; this can cause a reflux of stomach contents (including the abnormal bacteria living in the gastric juices) that can aspirate into the respiratory system.

The bottom line is this: when you and your doctor discuss the risks and benefits of certain medications, it’s important to weigh them properly. Furthermore, it’s necessary to keep up to date on novel research about the long-term effects of certain drugs like PPIs. Whenever we upset the natural balance in the body, there is a potential for unintended side effects. 

Talk To A GERD Doctor In Tampa

If your doctor has prescribed you a PPI or other similar heartburn medication for your chronic reflux, you might want to ask yourself this: is my medication targeting the problem, or merely a crutch. Discuss this possibility with a knowledgeable reflux specialist at Tampa Bay Reflux Center. We’ll help you wean off the PPIs and start the most effective path to recovery so that you can take your life back from GERD. Schedule a consultation with us today!