Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition in which excess stomach acid is produced, causing it to back up into the esophagus (reflux). So, can GERD lead to death?
Regarding this, Dr. Roi P. Sibarani, Sp.PD, KEMD, FES, an internal medicine specialist and consultant in endocrinology, metabolism, and diabetes at EMC Sentul Hospital, explained. Roi believes comorbidities, or accompanying illnesses, play a role.
"Some cases show that (GERD leads to death), but I think there must be other factors, other comorbidities, for example cardiac arrhythmia," Roi told Health Liputan6.com after speaking at Healthy Monday at the KLY Office, Central Jakarta, Monday (26/1/2026).
"If it's just stomach acid that's full, I think what you'll feel is just pain and vomiting. For people who are overly sensitive to vomiting (severe vomiting), it can also have cardiovascular effects," he added.
Roi said that GERD cases remain high, with stress contributing to the majority of cases. The majority occur among people of productive age due to work pressure.
"Many (cases) are due to stress factors. When I examine patients of productive age, almost 90 percent are stressed, from work, not family," he said.
Getting to know GERD
Furthermore, Roi said, GERD is a condition where excess stomach acid rises into the esophagus.
"So, our body, our stomach, produces excessive acid, is too sensitive, so that in situations where we actually don't need a lot of stomach acid, it produces stomach acid, and this is related to the psychoneural or psychosocial condition of the person (patient)," Roi explained.
He advised GERD patients to adopt a healthy and regular diet.
"For GERD, it's best to keep eating because when we eat, our stomach acid has something to do. If we don't eat, our stomach acid continues to rise, and there's nothing for it to process, so it refluxes," he said.
Consume Simple, Non-Irritating Foods
Roi suggests that if GERD patients are hungry at night, they should choose foods that are simple and non-irritating.
"So, to get the stomach acid working, we provide foods that are easy to digest and non-irritating, and don't increase stomach acid, for example, by adding too many spices. So, eat simple foods to prevent stomach acid from squirting out," Roi suggested.
Stomach acid, Roi continued, can worsen other medical conditions, for example if the patient suffers from arrhythmia (heart rhythm disturbance).
"There's a downside if the patient has arrhythmia, for example, an unknown heart condition, which can further aggravate the irregular heartbeat. This is also linked to other conditions."
"So, the way we know ourselves is, if we are sensitive, we can eat foods that are not too high in calories, such as fruit. I like cucumbers because they are crispy and can replace fried foods," he concluded.
This article is based on the Healthy Monday program, a collaboration between EMC Healthcare and Liputan6, with a resource person from EMC Sentul Hospital: Dr. Roi P. Sibarani, Sp.PD, KEMD, FES (Internal Medicine Specialist - Endocrine, Metabolic & Diabetes Consultant).