[Respiratory manifestations of reflux disease. Gastric acidity--poison for larynx, teeth and respiratory tract].

Gastroesophageal reflux is now a generally accepted risk factor for the development of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Less well known is the relationship of reflux disease (GERD) and respiratory disorders. Among the extra-esophageal manifestations of reflux disease is reflux laryngitis, which affects up to 78 patients with chronic hoarseness, Reinke's edema, laryngeal stricture, postnasal drip, asthma and non-cardiac chest pain. Despite popular opinion, changes in lifestyle (for example, cessation of smoking and drinking, avoidance of fatty foods) do not result in an improvement in symptoms. The treatment of choice for GERD is the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in the form of stepdown therapy; in individual cases as symptom-orientated on-demand therapy.