The Health Blog

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) offers brief information about this disease which affects millions of people worldwide. Here are the things that you should know about heartburn.

• Heartburn occurs when excessive amounts of stomach acid reflux into the esophagus, according to the ACG.
• Besides being uncomfortable, heartburn can also be a sign of a serious problem called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Symptoms of GERD include burning chest pain, regurgitation of bitter or sour liquid, difficulty swallowing, and excessive clearing of the throat.
• Left untreated, persistent heartburn/GERD symptoms can lead to severe complications such as esophageal strictures or a precancerous condition called Barrett’s Esophagus. In rare cases, people with persistent heartburn/GERD develop esophageal cancer.
• Eating smaller meals, controlling your weight and avoiding tight-fitting clothes are all ways of reducing heartburn symptoms. Don’t lie down after meals, because that makes it easier for stomach contents (including acid) to back up into the esophagus. Do not eat for three to four hours before you go to bed.
• Common heartburn triggers include: smoking, caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, fatty and spicy foods, and tomato sauces.
• Pregnancy increases the risk of heartburn/GERD symptoms. That’s because pregnancy puts greater pressure on the stomach and causes increased production of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, which can allow more acid to reflux into the esophagus.
• See a doctor if you: have heartburn two or more times a week; don’t get lasting relief from medication; have difficulty swallowing; have unexplained weight loss; experience reflux symptoms lasting more than a year.

The World Health Organization listed 10 facts about blood transfusion - how it save and harm lives. This is in commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day 2007 last June 14, 2007.

Fact 1. Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but millions of patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. Every country needs to ensure that blood supplies are sufficient and free from HIV, hepatitis viruses and other life-threatening infections that can be transmitted through unsafe transfusion.

Fact 2. In developed countries, transfusion is most commonly used to support medical and surgical procedures and treatment of conditions such as leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, thalassaemia, sickle cell disease and haemophilia. While the demand for blood is increasing, blood shortages are common. More blood donors are needed to replace those that are lost every year due to ill health, retirement and relocation.