Gastrocardiac syndrome can be triggered by factors including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), causing cardiac symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and chest tightness, a clinic said.
Internet personality Holger Chen (陳之漢), commonly known as Kuan Chang (館長), recently revealed in his livestream that he has an illness that causes stomach discomfort and severely affects his sleep quality.
Chen said he was diagnosed with gastrocardiac syndrome, as he had chronic GERD and frequent heartburn, and the acid reflux has affected his autonomic nervous system, as well as the diaphragm and heart, causing him to have frequent hiccups, palpitations and arrhythmia.
Photo: CNA
TV talk show host Li Jing (利菁) has also revealed she has GERD and recently received an endoscopic cardial constriction procedure.
Li Jing said acid reflux had repeatedly damaged her esophagus and vocal cords, so at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital gastroenterologist Chung Chen-shuan’s (鍾承軒) recommendation, she received a minimally invasive surgery called an endoscopic cardial constriction to narrow the lower esophageal sphincter.
When GERD damages the esophageal mucosa or when gastric bloating causes pressure to the diaphragm or right atrium of the heart, the two conditions could cause vagal reflex abnormality, sometimes triggering irregular heartbeat, chest tightness, palpitations and shortness of breath, Ever Life Clinic said in a Facebook post.
When such patients receive cardiac health check-ups, such as a 24-hour Holter monitoring or an echocardiography, they are often found to have no abnormalities, and this condition can be called “gastrocardiac syndrome,” it said.
Three types of people are at higher risk of developing GERD, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said on its Web site.
The first is people who have “lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation,” as the LES connects the esophagus to the stomach, acting as a muscular valve. So, when the LES is weak or becomes loose, it could lose its ability to close and block stomach acid and food from moving back (refluxing) into the esophagus, it said.
The second is “poor daily life habits,” including an irregular meal schedule; overeating; eating too fast; lying down right after finishing a meal; frequently drinking caffeinated or fizzy drinks, or alcoholic beverages; and eating food high in sugar or fat, or food that is too sour or spicy — as these eating habits could stimulate stomach acid production.
Smoking, staying up late, and having irregular work and rest schedules can also increase stomach acid production, leading to higher risk of GERD, it said.
Third, having “high risk factors” such as obesity, an apple-shaped body shape, or being pregnant could trigger GERD, as high intra-abdominal pressure can cause acid reflux, it said.
Anxiety and stress can also lead to excessive production of stomach acid, causing GERD, it said.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
RSS