Abstract

Objective: To find the prevalence of heartburn in general population of Karachi, Pakistan,
Methodology: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2020 to January 2021 using a designed questionnaire.
Results: Out of 497 individuals in study, 78% ever experienced burning sensation in lower chest, 66% suffered from hyperacidity, 60% felt bitter liquid in throat, 66% felt heavy stomach after meal, 59% experienced hyperacidity once/month and 39% had difficulty in sleep due to heartburn. Eighty percent of individuals reporting these complaints were 18-35 years old. Majority of people (59%) did not seek medical advice for their symptoms.
Conclusion: The prevalence of heartburn is high in population of Karachi, Pakistan, as more than half of the population experienced heartburn symptoms in their life time.

Key words: Heartburn, prevalence, GERD, medical advice.