Reflux (GERD)
- Heartburn, cough, chest discomfort with severity
- Food, circumstances, night, how well medication worked
- Daily reminder for acid-reducing medication
- From five episodes on, your own tags, no verdict on foods
From SanoLabs, the makers of the Sam app
GERD and asthma: two diaries, one appointment
With Sam you log GERD and asthma in two programs, each with its own diary and doctor's report. In both you note whether something woke you at night.
- Reflux (GERD)
- Asthma
Why the two often occur together
GERD symptoms are more common in people with asthma than in the general population.
32 studies
with more than 1.6 million patients in one meta-analysis
Weak
is how that meta-analysis calls the link with asthma exacerbations
That describes co-occurrence and says nothing about your case.
Sources: GINA Strategy Report 2024, GERD section. Mallah et al., Pediatric Allergy and Immunology 2022.
What you log in each program
Asthma
- Attacks with strength, reliever, medical help, night waking
- "Not sure" does not count toward the attack total
- Reliever with puffs and reason
- Controller medication with reminder
In both: your sleep from Apple Health, and whether something woke you at night.
What your doctor gets to see
Each program creates its own doctor's report as a PDF.
- 1 month
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 12 months
- Whole record
Doctor report: reflux
Reflux days in the period12
Nights reflux woke you3
Days with acid medication8
A summary of your own entries. Your doctor interprets it.
Doctor report: asthma
Reliever-use days, last 28 days (9 puffs)5
Nights woken by symptoms, last 28 days1
Attacks in the period3
Scheduled doses taken24 of 28
A summary of your own entries. Your doctor interprets it.
Example values, not real data. Your report is based on your own entries.
How it works with GERD and asthma
- Set up GERD and asthma separatelyYou confirm the diagnosis for each program, then each has its own diary.
- Log a cough where you experience itSam assigns nothing: you decide where an entry belongs.
- Show the office both recordsBoth reports count on how many nights something woke you.
Keep reading
Common questions
What is the relationship between GERD and asthma?+
According to GINA, GERD is more common in people with asthma. A meta-analysis calls the link with exacerbations weak. What that means for you is something to settle with your doctor.
Can Sam tell whether a cough comes from GERD or asthma?+
No. Sam does not assign a cough to a condition. You log it in the program where you place it and talk about it at the office.
What do the reports show about night-time symptoms?+
The GERD report counts the nights GERD woke you. The asthma report shows on how many nights of the last 28 days symptoms woke you. Both rest on your own entries.
What happens if I log chest discomfort?+
If you log chest discomfort in the GERD program that could point to a heart problem, Sam directs you to emergency services. That is general safety information, not an assessment. For acute or serious symptoms, call your local emergency number; for non-urgent concerns, contact your doctor or local out-of-hours service.
Keep GERD and asthma in one place
Start with the program for your next appointment.
Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and does not replace a doctor. The figures on this page describe how often conditions occur together and say nothing about your case. If you have acute symptoms, call your local emergency number; for non-urgent concerns, contact your doctor.