Dyspepsia: Is It Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Peptic Ulcer Disease?

ABSTRACTDyspepsia (heartburn, epigastric pain, and indigestion) affects approximately 50% of the population and therefore is a familiar complaint in the primary care setting. The differential diagnoses for dyspepsia are many; however, the two most common causes are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcer disease (PUD). Nurse practitioners must be able to discriminate between these two disorders and recognize the risks factors and clinical manifestations (typical and atypical) of each to correctly manage. This article serves as a review and update for these two disorders.