Role of Comprehensive Lifestyle Interventions in Managing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Complicating COPD-OSA Overlap Syndrome”

Although the term “lifestyle medicine” was first used as the title of a symposium in 1989 and of an article in 1990, its concept is not new. The towering figures in medicine: Huang Ti (2698-2598 BCE), Hippocrates (460-377 BCE) and Ibn Sina (980-1037CE) had the credit to link the natural effects of diet, lifestyle, emotion and environment with the preservation of health. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, a well proven primary source of the global burden of chronic diseases, are among the leading risk factors for increased disability-adjusted life years around the world. While, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease augument each other, COPD and Obstructive Sleep Apnea have a common pathophysiology and are known to coexist leading Flenley to coin the term “Overlap Syndrome” ,in 1985. Behavioral therapy on each modifiable item, including diet and weight management, physical activity, smoking, sleeping pattern, stress and mood states have all been evaluated in the present study.