More than the country’s COVID plans, this is the President’s shocking revelation by far!

With Duterte’s announcement of his worsening Barrett’s Esophagus in his recorded-televised address on Tuesday, many talks have been rounding up on social media about his condition.

The chief executive’s doctor warned him to watch his diet as it may progress to stage 1 cancer.

The sudden promulgation of his ailment happened during his discussion about the budget tapped for the government’s COVID-19 response.

What is Barrett’s Esophagus?

According to the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus changes, becoming more like the lining of the small intestine rather than the esophagus. This occurs in the area where the esophagus is joined to the stomach.

It is believed that the main reason that Barrett’s esophagus develops is because of chronic inflammation resulting from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Barrett’s esophagus is more common in people who have had GERD for a long period of time or developed it at a young age.

Symptoms

According to the mayoclinic.org, the development of Barrett's esophagus is most often attributed to long-standing GERD, which may include these signs and symptoms:

• Frequent heartburn and regurgitation of stomach contents
• Difficulty swallowing food
• Less commonly, chest pain

If you've been having trouble with heartburn, regurgitation and acid reflux for more than five years, then you should ask your doctor about your risk of Barrett's esophagus as recommended on the article published by the mayo clinic, a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education, and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing.

Seek immediate help if you:

• Have chest pain, which may be a symptom of a heart attack
• Have difficulty swallowing
• Are vomiting red blood or blood that looks like coffee grounds
• Are passing black, tarry or bloody stools
• Are unintentionally losing weight

CAUSES

The exact cause of Barrett's esophagus isn't known. While many people with Barrett's esophagus have long-standing GERD, many have no reflux symptoms, a condition often called "silent reflux."

Whether this acid reflux is accompanied by GERD symptoms or not, stomach acid and chemicals wash back into the esophagus, damaging esophagus tissue and triggering changes to the lining of the swallowing tube, causing Barrett's esophagus.

TREATMENT

The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, (ASGE) suggests that one of the best ways to treat it is through the aid of medicines and/or surgery which can effectively control the symptoms of GERD.

There are some treatments available that can destroy Barrett’s tissue. These treatments may decrease the development of cancer in some patients and include heat (radiofrequency ablation, thermal ablation with argon plasma coagulation and multipolar coagulation), cold energy (cryotherapy), or the use of light and special chemicals (photodynamic therapy).

With this sudden turn of events for President Duterte, what are your reactions?