Clinical Trials Update: June 24, 2008

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

If your child is a hospitalized person, aged 17 or younger, and requires acid suppression therapy to treat suspected, symptomatic or proven GERD, the child or adolescent may qualify to participate in this study.

The research site is in Little Rock, Ark.

More information

Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studi....

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Anxiety Disorders

Four years ago I was diagnosed with severe, chronic depression. My daily challenges bounced from crying jags and panic attacks to uncharacteristic irritability and temper flashes, from insomnia to complete exhaustion and always, always memory blanks that included getting in the car, driving and not being able to recognize where I was or where I was going (thank you, Garmin, for helping with that!).

Patients Pleased With Laparoscopic GERD Surgery

FRIDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of patient satisfaction and low rates of re-surgery were found in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who had minimally invasive laparoscopic fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery) performed by an experienced surgeon, says a U.S. study.

I was talking to my acupuncturist about acid reflux and he suggested taking 1 teaspoon Bragg’s unfiltered apple cider vinegar before lunch or dinner. I haven't tried it yet. We'll see!

Studies show that about 50 percent of pregnant women will experience heartburn while pregnant. Hormones of pregnancy and pressure from the growing fetus are usually behind the condition. While symptoms of heartburn usually go away after delivery of the baby, there are a few things you can do to keep GERD from making a return.

Here are some common triggers according to the American College of Gastroenterology:

Eating a large, especially fatty meal
Tomato sauces (spaghetti & pizza)
Lying down after a meal
Chocolate, peppermint
Coffee and tea
Smoking

(HealthDay News) - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause symptoms during the night that can prevent a good night's sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions to keep GERD symptoms calm at night:

* Be careful of the foods you eat from late afternoon until bedtime. Try to avoid spicy foods, onions and chocolate.
* Eat a larger meal at lunch, and have a small, light dinner.
* Don't eat anything after two or three hours before you plan to go to bed.
* Don't drink alcohol or smoke before bed.

The reasons some people develop heart burn are unclear. If you've been diagnosed, how you deal with the condition?

TUESDAY, Oct. 16 (HealthDay News) -- People with some common functional gastrointestinal disorders lose the equivalent of at least one full day of work in every 40-hour workweek, a new U.S. study finds.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders, which are associated with impaired quality of life, are among the most common causes of workplace-related absenteeism. These conditions also play a role in "presenteeism" -- when people go to work but are less productive than normal.