Alcohol Use Disorder and GERD Development

Lifestyle Modifications

• The American Gastroenterological Association recommends lifestyle modifications, including avoidance of alcohol consumption, weight loss for overweight or obese patients, and elevation of the head of the bed for patients with nighttime symptoms, for managing GERD in patients with alcohol use disorder 1
• Avoiding meals within 2-3 hours before bedtime and sleeping in a left lateral decubitus position are also recommended for managing GERD symptoms 2

Treatment Approaches

• The American College of Gastroenterology recommends proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) as the most effective pharmacological treatment for GERD symptoms and healing of esophagitis, with H2-receptor antagonists being less effective than PPIs but more effective than placebo 3