Dr. Nathan Merriman, Intermountain Health, explains the risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and how it increases the risk of Esophageal Cancer

Salt Lake City, UT (PRUnderground) July 12th, 2026

Heart burn can be extremely common in the United States, with 2 in 5 people having the feeling of heartburn at least once a month. But if it becomes more frequent, it might actually be a symptom of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, an estimated 1 in 5 people in the United States has GERD. GERD is defined as frequent symptoms (two or more times a week) or when the esophagus suffers damage from reflux. The esophagus is a tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

The most common symptoms of GERD are heartburn and regurgitation. Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest behind the breastbone. Regurgitation is a feeling of fluid or food or stomach acid coming up into the chest or throat. Many people experience both symptoms; however, some patients can have one without the other.

Certain foods, lifestyle habits (such as drinking alcohol, eating late at night or close to bedtime, and smoking), and anatomic issues such as a hiatal hernia can weaken the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus and can lead to GERD. GERD can also be more common among people who are elderly, obese, or pregnant.

“One of the concerns with ongoing, active acid reflux that is poorly controlled or untreated is the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus,” said Dr. Nathan Merriman, medical director of gastroenterology and digestive health at Intermountain Health.

“Barrett’s esophagus occurs when the normal lining of the esophagus is replaced with intestinal-like cells as a protection to ongoing acid in the esophagus. This change to Barrett’s esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal cancer,” he added.

According to Dr. Merriman, there are quite a few medications that can increase the risk of GERD. If you are concerned your medications may be increasing your acid reflux, please discuss these with your care team.

Some examples include some high blood pressure treatment medications, antidepressant medications, and pain treatment medications, such as narcotic pain medications, and GLP-1 medications for diabetes and weight loss.

“The esophagus is not designed to handle stomach acid and bile regularly, and if you are regularly experiencing reflux symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation each week, discuss these symptoms further with your primary care or gastrointestinal care team,” he said. Further evaluation may be needed and is typically done with an upper endoscopy procedure or other acid reflux and esophageal function testing.”

Lifestyle changes to help with reflux

Watch your eating habits

Certain foods may increase the acid in your stomach. Or they may relax the lower esophageal sphincter. This makes GERD more likely, and it is often helpful to keep a symptom journal to help track the foods that seem to be triggering reflux symptoms. Here are some of the foods and drinks that can contribute to ongoing reflux symptoms:

• Coffee, tea, and carbonated drinks (with and without caffeine)
• Fatty, fried, or spicy food
• Mint, chocolate, onions, tomatoes, and citrus
• Peppermint

Raise your head and avoid eating close to bedtime

Reflux is more likely to happen when you’re lying down flat. That’s because stomach fluid can flow back into the esophagus more easily. Raising the head of your bed four to six inches can sometimes help.

• Slide blocks under the legs at the head of your bed or potentially trying a foam wedge under the mattress could help. The wedge should go from your waist to the top of your head.
• Don’t just prop your head up on a few pillows. This increases pressure on your stomach. It could potentially make GERD worse or put more pressure on your neck.

Relieve the pressure

• Eat smaller meals, even if you have to eat more often.
• Don’t lie down right after you eat. Wait a few hours for your stomach to empty.
• Avoid wearing tight belts or tight-fitting clothes.
• Stay at a weight that’s healthy for you. Talk to your doctor if you need help losing weight.

Avoid tobacco completely and avoid drinking alcohol

• Using tobacco or drinking alcohol can make GERD symptoms worse.

When to see a doctor

If GERD symptoms do not get better with brief trials of over-the-counter acid reflux treatment medications and lifestyle changes, contact your primary care or gastrointestinal care team for further discussion and evaluation.

If GERD symptoms have any red flag symptoms, such as trouble swallowing, food or liquids getting stuck in the esophagus and chest, feeling full quickly after eating small meals, unintended weight loss, frequent vomiting or signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as black or red bowel movements, or vomiting black or red material, then contact your care team or seek urgent medical evaluation immediately.

If you have chronic GERD or red flag symptoms, your doctor may recommend an upper endoscopy to look at the lining of your esophagus called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. This is done by passing a thin tube with a small camera on the end through your mouth and into your esophagus while you are sedated.

This is a very helpful and safe test to evaluate the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine to look for acid reflux changes, Barrett’s esophagus, ulcers, narrowing in the esophagus), stomach cancer, hiatal hernias, Celiac sprue (gluten allergy changes), or gastritis.

During the endoscopy, the doctor can take a small sample of cells for testing and send it for pathology evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract, called a biopsy. If there is a narrowing in the esophagus, this can be seen and stretched during the upper endoscopy as well.

Intermountain Health offers access to acid reflux and GERD evaluation and treatment as well as further evaluation of difficulty swallowing symptoms through their gastroenterology care teams in clinics and endoscopy suites across Utah.

For more information about acid reflux or GERD, please discuss with your primary care team or visit the  Gastroenterology Care page at intermountainhealth.org.

Nathan Merriman, MD, is the medical director for gastroenterology and digestive health at Intermountain Health. He also regularly see patients at the Intermountain Medical Center Gastroenterology Clinic in Murray, Utah.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a nonprofit health plan called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://news.intermountainhealth.org/. For more information, see intermountainhealth.org/ or call 801-442-2000.

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