New Study Reveals Heartburn Impacts On Our Performance At Work
Heartburn, the common ailment usually associated with a heavy session and last night's curry, is actually impacting on our ability to perform at work and having a negative effect on the control we feel we have on our daily lives according to results of a new study out today.

The study of over 600 sufferers, conducted by heartburn treatment, Pepcidtwo, has revealed that 83%¹ of sufferers feel distracted by the pain of heartburn which prevents them from giving 100% during working hours. As stress levels and anxiety increase, so does heartburn, with 84%¹ of sufferers admitting that their heartburn is made worse if they are feeling under pressure.

This leads to anxiety, accompanied by the pain of heartburn affecting home life and is therefore not just restricted to the office. 66%¹ of sufferers said that heartburn impacts on the control they have on their daily life and ultimately prevents them from enjoying life's pleasures to the full according to 78%¹ of sufferers.

Executive coach and performance psychologist, Nancy Beesley says, "The results of the study show a typical vicious circle effect: pressure of feeling you are under performing at work leads to stress, which further exacerbates problems such as heartburn. When we take these anxieties and discomfort home it begins to impact negatively on our life outside work."

The guidelines produced by the British Gastroenterological Forum, a panel of leading primary and secondary care experts, detail recommendations for effectively managing and treating heartburn, which affects over a quarter of the population². In particular, the guidelines focus on the role of the pharmacist and the efficacy of OTC medicines.

Stress, smoking, excess alcohol and an erratic diet, which go hand-in-hand with pressured life styles, all contribute to heartburn. Nancy Beesley says, "In today's pressured society, we should all try and recognise what causes us to feel stressed, distracted and in many cases physically unwell and then take the appropriate action to control it. This may mean making lifestyle modifications or seeking health professional advice to alleviate specific symptoms."

1 Pepcidtwo Heartburn Study, March 2004
2 Kennedy and Jones, Aliment Pharmacol Therap 2000, 14,1589-94.