New Developments in GERD in the Overweight Patient

Scroll to the bottom of page to listen to the podcast

Program Overview:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has substantial adverse effects on the quality of life for 10% to 20% of the adult population. Much evidence exists to support a link between overweight patients and GERD. Over 64% of all patients seen in the primary care setting are obese. Because of its high prevalence in adults and greater risk for overweight patients, screening, diagnosis, and management of GERD should be seen as requiring involvement from primary care providers as well as specialists in gastroenterology.

For the primary care practitioner, GERD as a disease spectrum forms a rational basis for screening for this condition in overweight patients that must be combined with improved follow-up and surveillance programs in patients who have more advanced symptoms. Increased hospitalizations for GERD associated symptoms and complications together with increased risk for disease progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma, if left untreated, underscores the important role of the primary care practitioner in assessment, treatment and management of GERD in overweight patients. Attendees will gain an increased awareness and understanding of the challenges confronting them in the diagnosis and treatment of GERD in the overweight patient. They will gain practical insights into effective approaches suitable for improved patient screening and diagnosis of GERD. They will also benefit from a discussion of new guideline recommendations that can help them improve patient treatment and management of GERD with special emphasis placed on the challenges and barriers encountered in overweight and obese patients who are at increased risk for advanced disease and its complications. 

Learning Objectives:

After completing this activity, the participant will be able to

• Recognize and evaluate symptoms (typical and atypical) of GERD using a time-efficient approach in the overweight and obese patient in the primary care setting
• Demonstrate the ability to apply evidence-based approaches to GERD treatment and management in overweight and obese patients including both lifestyle modifications and effective pharmacotherapeutic strategies

Accreditation/Designation Statement:

Primary Care Network, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Primary Care Network designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Target Audience:

This activity is targeted to all physicians and other healthcare professionals who treat patients with GERD.

Release Date: July 29, 2009
Expiration Date: July 29, 2010

Medium: Podcast

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support:

This activity was developed from the live Best Practices in Primary Care™ program held in Chicago, Illinois, on April 4, 2009 and is funded by Eisai, Inc.

Method of Participation:

To receive CME credit for this activity, you need to listen to the program. Upon finishing the podcast, complete the post-test and evaluation and fill out all required personal information. To receive your CME certificate you will need to pass the post-test with 70% accuracy or better.

Post-test and Evaluation:

After completing this activity, click on the Post-test button at the end of the program. If you receive less than 70% on the post-test, you will be returned to the beginning of the activity to review the presentation again. Upon successful completion of the post-test, you will be asked to fill out a program evaluation form and prompted to print your CME certificate.

Statement of Disclosure and Independence:

It is the policy of Primary Care Network, Inc. to ensure all its sponsored educational activities are planned, developed, and conducted in accordance with the ACCME’s Essential Areas and Policies. In accordance with ACCME requirements, Primary Care Network has Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Policies that are designed to ensure that Primary Care Network sponsored educational activities are fair balanced, independent, evidence-based and based on scientific rigor.

Primary Care Network’s Resolution of Personal Conflicts of Interest (COI) Policy aims to ensure that all conflicts are resolved prior to the activity, content is developed and presented free of commercial bias, and is in the interest of promoting improvements or quality in healthcare. All individuals who are in a position to influence and/or control content of a Primary Care Network sponsored activity are required to disclose to the participants any real or apparent conflict of interest related to the activity. The educational content is also reviewed for independence and content validation by an independent external clinical reviewer and internal clinical reviewer. Independence is also monitored through the activity and overall program evaluation process.

The opinions, ideas, recommendations, and perspectives expressed in the accompanying presentations at this Primary Care Education program are those of the program authors and presenting faculty only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, ideas, recommendations or perspectives of their affiliated institutions, Primary Care Network, Primary Care Education, Advisory Boards and Consultants, or the activity’s commercial supporters.

Planning Committee and Disclosures:

Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG
Professor of Medicine
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Jacksonville, FL

Dr. DeVault is on the advisory board and is a consultant for AstraZeneca and Takeda. He also has received research grants from AstraZeneca.

Robert A. Ganz, MD, FASGE
Minnesota Gastroenterology, PA
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota
Minnetonka, MN

Dr. Ganz is a member of the speaker’s bureau for Takeda.

Karen Luken, MS, ARNP
Nurse Practitioner
Gastrointestinal Associates
Overland Park, KS

Ms. Luken is on the speaker’s bureau for Roche and UCB.

Richard G. Roberts, MD, JD, FAAFP, FCLM
Professor
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Department of Family Medicine
Madison, WI

Dr. Roberts declares that he does not have a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any pharmaceutical company and/or medical device company.

Lina Cresci
Assistant Project Manager
Scion Educational Resources
Long Valley, NJ

Ms. Cresci declares that she does not have a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any pharmaceutical company and/or medical device company.

Nicole Guidera, MS
Project Manager
Scion Educational Resources
Long Valley, NJ

Ms. Guidera declares that she does not have a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any pharmaceutical company and/or medical device company.

Jeffrey M. Palmer, PhD
Scientific Director, Medical Education
Scion Educational Resources
Long Valley, NJ

Dr. Palmer declares that he does not have a financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any pharmaceutical company and/or medical device company.

Carol Morse Sibley, BS
Medical Writer
Scion Educational Resources
Long Valley, NJ

Ms. Sibley is a stock shareholder with Pfizer.

Faculty and Disclosures:

Robert A. Ganz, MD, FASGE
Minnesota Gastroenterology, PA
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Minnesota
Minnetonka, MN

Dr. Ganz is on the speaker’s bureau for Takeda.

Review Committee Disclosure:

In accordance with PCN policy, all content is reviewed by external independent peer reviewers for balance, objectivity, and commercial bias.  The peer reviewers, staff, and other individuals who control content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Unlabeled Use Declaration:

During their presentation(s), faculty may discuss an unlabeled use or an investigational use not approved for a commercial product. Each faculty member is required to disclose this information to the audience when referring to an unlabeled or investigational use.

Listen to Podcast

When finished, click here to take the Post-test

Take the post-test to receive your CME certificate