A 45-year-old man presents with persistent heartburn and acid regurgitation despite over-the-counter antacids. Recently, he has also noticed a chronic cough. What could be the potential diagnoses and next steps?
This patient's symptoms are suggestive of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The heartburn and acid regurgitation are classic symptoms, and the chronic cough may be a result of acid reflux irritating the airways. The next steps would be a trial of a proton pump inhibitor medication. If symptoms persist despite medication, or if there are alarm symptoms (such as difficulty swallowing, weight loss, or anemia), an upper endoscopy would be indicated.