Disease of the month: Barrett's Oesophagus

“What a feeling” sings the female police officer as she directs traffic in the TV advert for Gaviscon. Well, that ‘feeling’ she is singing about is the relief that certain medications bring to the symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux, commonly known as heartburn or indigestion, which cause misery to many people on a daily basis. Barrett’s oesophagus is a long-term complication of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which is a common disclosure on insurance applications and often mentioned in medical reports. Cause of illness Barrett’s oesophagus is generally caused by long...