Clinical manifestations gastroesophageal reflux disease

• Esophageal: heartburn, atypical chest pain, regurgitation, sour taste, dysphagia
• Extraesophageal: dry cough, asthma (often poorly controlled), laryngitis, dental erosions

Patients with GERD often present with heartburn, regurgitation, mild dysphagia, and noncardiac chest pain. Upper airway symptoms of cough, throat clearing, and hoarseness are also common. Diagnostically, symptom response to a 6-week course of once-daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy confirms the clinical diagnosis in patients with typical symptoms. Patients with alarm symptoms (e.g., severe or worsening dysphagia, weight loss, or iron deficiency anemia) should first undergo endoscopic evaluation.