What is the medical diagnosis for heartburn?

• A. GERD
• B. Gastritis
• C. Esophagitis
• D. Peptic ulcer disease

Answer: (A)

Heartburn is caused by reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus, which irritates the esophageal lining. When this reflux happens frequently or produces troublesome symptoms, the diagnosis is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD best fits heartburn because it describes the ongoing condition of acid reflux that leads to persistent symptoms and sometimes esophageal inflammation or complications.

Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining and typically presents with epigastric pain or discomfort that isn’t the classic retrosternal burning of heartburn. Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophagus and can result from reflux, but GERD is the broader syndrome that encompasses the reflux causing symptoms like heartburn (with possible esophagitis as a consequence). Peptic ulcer disease involves ulcers in the stomach or duodenum and usually presents with different pain patterns, sometimes relieved by food, not the textbook heartburn.