Causes / Risk factors
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), as mentioned earlier, is caused by reflux of hydrochloric acid of the stomach into the esophagus. The lining of the esophagus is not designed to withstand hydrochloric acid and is, therefore, easily affected. It is not known why the LES relaxes more often in people with GERD, than in those without the condition. Some of the factors that contribute to GERD include -
- Hiatal Hernia
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
- Overuse of alcohol
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Certain foods, like citrus or fried items
- Certain medications, like prednisolone
- Hypercalcemia
- Scleroderma
- Systemic sclerosis
