World J Gastroenterol 2006 May 7; 12(17): 2656-9 (Read article online)

Chua AS

Dyspepsia itself is not a diagnosis but stands for a constellation of symptoms referable to the upper gastrointestinal tract. It consists of a variable combination of symptoms including abdominal pain or discomfort, postprandial fullness, abdominal bloating, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, heartburn and acid regurgitation. Patients with heartburn and acid regurgitation invariably have gastroesophageal reflux disease and should be distinguished from those with dyspepsia. There is a substantial group of patients who do not have a definite structural or biochemical cause for their symptoms and are considered to be suffering from functional dyspepsia (FD). Gastrointestinal motor abnormalities, altered visceral sensation, dysfunctional central nervous system-enteral nervous system (CNS-ENS) integration and psychosocial factors have all being identified as important pathophysiological correlates. It can be considered as a biopsychosocial disorder with dysregulation of the brain-gut axis being central in origin of disease. FD can be categorized into different subgroups based on the predominant single symptom identified by the patient. This subgroup classification can assist us in deciding the appropriate symptomatic treatment for the patient.