Getting Around GERD: OneAthlete’s Acid Test (NAPSA)—Manysports fans don’t know a surprising fact about one of the greatest Olympiansofall time, swimmer Mark Spitz. While he continued to break World records in his early 20’s, his body wasn’t as invincible as he thought. Spitz had alwaysled a healthy lifestyle filled with plenty of exercise and a sensible diet. It came as a shock when he began to experience symptomsof acid reflux disease as an Olympic athlete in his early 20's. “During my Olympic training, I attributed the symptoms to an overexposure to chlorine and eating too soon before and after swimming,” says Spitz. “It wasn’t until the symptoms began to get in the way of my broadcasting career in Montreal, which was four years after retirement, that I suspected something more serious must be happening.” After retirement, Spitz was officially diagnosed with acid reflux disease, a condition his physician thinks he suffered from throughout his career. The most common symptomsof acid reflux disease include persistent heartburn on two or more days a week, a souror bitter taste in the mouth and difficulty swallowing “The most alarming thing I learned was that stomach acid was regularly backing up into my — ———~X,, 5 ESOS ees @ Record gold-metal winning Olympic swimmer Mark Spitz had a health problem. esophagus and causing an uncomfortable burning sensation,” says Spitz. “My doctor explained thatif I had continued to ignore the symp- toms, the acid could erode or cause physical damageto the lining of the esophagus, which is a potentially serious condition I hadn’t known about called erosive esophagitis.” About one-third of people that experience frequent, persistent symptoms of acid reflux disease also have erosive esophagitis, which is another reason it’s important to treat this chronic condition appropriately. Spitz’s symptoms subsided after talking to his doctor and taking a proton pump inhibitor called NExtumM” (esomeprazole magnesium). NEXIUM is recommended for treating frequent, persistent heartburn and other symptoms associated with acid reflux disease. The drug is also approved for healing erosive esophagitis. Studies show that up to 94 percent of patients were healed with Nexium. Most erosions heal in four to eight weeks. Individual results may vary, and only a doctor can determine if erosions to the esophagus have occurred. The most commonside effects of NExIUM are headache, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Symptom relief does not rule out the existence of other serious stomach conditions. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a major international health care business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of health care services. It is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies with health care sales of over $18.8 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and respiratory products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is an $8.7 billion health care business with more than 11,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global and European) as well as the FTSE4Good Index. For more information, visit www.purplepill.com or call 1-877REFLUX2.
