Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic gastrointestinal condition, which is marked by retrograde gastric flow to the esophagus resulting in symptoms heartburn and regurgitation. The increasing prevalence of GERD especially among youngsters has been attributed to beneficial lifestyles, life characteristics as well as malfunction of lower esophageal sphincter. Although proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are also a frequently used method of therapy, not all patients respond. This was a prospective observational study and lasted six months at PIMS where the efficacy and tolerability of vonoprazan as a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) were determined in the treatment of erosive and non-erosive GERD.

Two hundred patients took part in this study and the males were the majority (68) and the age group 31-40 years was the most affected. The use of spicy foods (97.5%), caffeine (78%), and smoking (26.5%) were major contributing lifestyle factors. Vonoprazan 20mg showed high efficacy with regard to relief of symptoms particularly heartburn, regurgitation, epigastric and nausea with total elimination of severe heartburn in all 112 cases. There was no significant difference between genders and the recovery rates and erosive and non-erosive groups were equal (P=0.31). Some patients had mild residual symptoms reported such as dyspepsia and bloating.

The research finds that vonoprazan is a safe and very effective therapy in GERD with a significant symptomatic control and quality of life. Changing lifestyle and drug therapy complement each other in terms of improving treatment results. There is a recommendation of early diagnosis and personalized therapy on the basis of demographic and clinical profiles, which is most effective in treating GERD.

Keywords: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Vonoprazan, Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker (P-CAB), Erosive Esophagitis, Non-Erosive Esophagitis.