ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the aetiology, epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation, investigation, current management, and complications of oesophagitis and peptic ulcer disease. Oesophagitis is an umbrella term describing inflammation of the oesophagus that may have peptic, allergic, infective, or iatrogenic aetiologies. The most frequently relevant inflammatory oesophageal diseases for men today are gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). The gastro-oesophageal junction forms a defensive barrier between the stomach and the oesophagus. A hiatus hernia involves a portion of the upper stomach protruding through the diaphragmatic hiatus into the thoracic cavity. Obesity is a significant risk factor in GORD, and prevalence is increasing rapidly. The classic symptoms of GORD are heartburn and regurgitation, which are characteristically worse post-prandial, and on bending or lying down. GORD is most frequently a clinical diagnosis, sometimes supported by a ‘trial of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)' with a response in 40–90% of patients.
