HYPOTHESIS
Gastroesophageal reflux is a major contributor to exercise-triggered asthma.
Two groups of patients will be studied: those with asthma who have difficulty with exertion,
those without asthma who experience difficulty with exertion. Both groups will experience
gastroesophageal reflux (GER) twice of less per week. Patients will complete a treadmill exam
to determine their VO2 max. They will then undergo pH monitoring while exercising for 30
minutes at 65-70% of their VO2 max. Subjects will be given placebo or acid suppression pill
for 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the subjects will repeat the exercise (30 minutes) and
24-hour pH study.