Gastrocardiac Syndrome, also known as Roemheld Syndrome, refers to functional disorders of the cardiovascular system reflexively caused by gastric diseases. It is more common in young adults, with similar incidence rates between men and women.

bubble_chart Etiology

The cause of this disease is unclear and may be related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction. All gastric diseases can contribute, but common causes include peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis, gastric mucosal prolapse, stomach cancer, and smoking. Esophageal conditions such as reflux esophagitis, esophageal or pyloric stenosis can also be responsible.

bubble_chart Clinical Manifestations

Due to the presence of gastric diseases, reflexively causing discomfort or dull pain in the precordial region, a few cases resemble cardiac colicky pain, presenting as stabbing or squeezing pain, lasting for varying durations—short as a few seconds or long as several hours. However, the pain often lacks obvious triggers, does not respond to coronary vasodilators, but can be relieved with antispasmodic and acid-suppressing medications. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath. Cardiac and vascular symptoms disappear with the cure of the gastric disease.

bubble_chart Diagnosis

Cardiac examinations often show no abnormalities. Electrocardiogram (ECG) results are usually normal, with a few cases showing ST-T changes, arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, occasionally misdiagnosed as colicky pain or acute myocardial infarction. When cardiovascular symptoms appear in the context of chronic gastric disease, a diagnosis can be made after ruling out organic cardiovascular diseases. If the medical history shows minimal gastric symptoms but prominent cardiovascular manifestations, misdiagnosis is likely. Therefore, awareness of this condition should be heightened. If cardiovascular disease cannot adequately explain the symptoms, relevant gastrointestinal examinations such as X-rays or gastroscopy should be conducted to confirm the diagnosis.

The treatment of this disease mainly focuses on addressing the primary gastric condition. Quit smoking and alcohol consumption. To alleviate pain, antispasmodic and acid-suppressing medications can be used, such as baking soda, cholinergic inhibitors, H₂ receptor blockers, or proton pump inhibitors.