Jagirdhar GSK, Bains Y, Surani S. Investigating causal links between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension. World J Clin Cases 2024; 12(14): 2304-2307 [PMID: 38765750 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i14.2304]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Salim Surani, FASP, MD, FCCP, MHSc, Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, 40 Bizzell Street, College Station, TX 77843, United States. srsurani@hotmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. May 16, 2024; 12(14): 2304-2307 Published online May 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i14.2304
Investigating causal links between gastroesophageal reflux disease and essential hypertension
Gowthami Sai Kogilathota Jagirdhar, Yatinder Bains, Salim Surani
Gowthami Sai Kogilathota Jagirdhar, Department of Medicine, Saint Francis Health Science Center, Newark, NJ 07107, United States
Yatinder Bains, Department of Gastroenterology, Saint Michaels Medical Center, Newark, NJ 07102, United States
Salim Surani, Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
Author contributions: Surani S and Bains Y designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Jagirdhar GSK and Bains Y contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Jagirdhar GSK, Bains Y and Surani S contributed to the writing, editing the manuscript and review of literature.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Salim Surani, FASP, MD, FCCP, MHSc, Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, 40 Bizzell Street, College Station, TX 77843, United States. srsurani@hotmail.com
Received: February 14, 2024 Revised: March 17, 2024 Accepted: April 3, 2024 Published online: May 16, 2024 Processing time: 80 Days and 20.1 Hours
Abstract
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent global health concern with a rising incidence. Various risk factors, including obesity, hiatal hernia, and smoking, contribute to its development. Recent research suggests associations between GERD and metabolic syndrome, cardiac diseases, and hypertension (HTN). Mechanisms linking GERD to HTN involve autonomic dysfunction, inflammatory states, and endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, GERD medications such as proton-pump inhibitors may impact blood pressure regulation. Conversely, antihypertensive medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers can exacerbate GERD symptoms. While bidirectional causality exists between GERD and HTN, longitudinal studies are warranted to elucidate the precise relationship. Treatment of GERD, including anti-reflux surgery, may positively influence HTN control. However, the interplay of lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and medications necessitates further investigation to comprehensively understand this relationship. In this editorial, we comment on the article published by Wei et al in the recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases. We evaluate their claims on the causal association between GERD and HTN.
Core Tip: The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hypertension (HTN) is multifaceted, involving mechanisms such as autonomic dysfunction, nitric oxide levels, and medication effects. GERD treatment, including anti-reflux surgery, may improve HTN control, highlighting the clinical relevance of understanding this association. However, the complex interplay of comorbidities and medications warrants further investigation to elucidate causal pathways and optimize patient management strategies.
