Digestive disease requires research
Digestive diseases affect almost 18 million Americans, the National Center for Health Statistics estimates. And the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases has been surveying "needs and opportunities in digestive disease research." For example:
Heartburn—
"Recent studies have shown that persons with severe or recurring heartburn, which may be the precursor or symptom of esophagitis, have a weak lower esophageal sphincter, one that would readily allow reflux. These studies have also suggested that insufficient secretion of the hormone gastrin may be responsible for the weakness.... why reflux occurs in one individual and not in others is unknown."
Peptic diseases—
Ulcers affect about
Death rate declines
The 1975 death rate for the United States dropped to 8.96 per 1,000 people, the lowest ever recorded. The previous year's rate of 9.15/1,000 had also been a record low.
The figures continue a gradual downward trend in total
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