The article provides a comprehensive update on the burden of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in the United States, based on the latest data from various national databases. Key findings include: - **Symptoms and Diagnoses**: Abdominal pain is the most common GI symptom, with 15.9 million visits in 2009. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is the most frequent diagnosis, accounting for 8.9 million visits. - **Quality of Life**: Select GI diseases and symptoms significantly impact quality of life and work/activity, with colorectal cancer being the leading cause of GI-related mortality. - **Hospitalizations**: Acute pancreatitis is the most common reason for hospitalization, followed by *Clostridium difficile* infection, which has doubled in hospitalizations over the past decade. Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of GI-related mortality. - **Cancer**: Colorectal cancer accounts for over half of all GI cancers and is the leading cause of GI-related deaths. Other common GI cancers include esophageal, pancreatic, and liver cancer. - **Mortality**: Gastrointestinal diseases contribute to 10% of all deaths in the U.S., with *Clostridium difficile* infection becoming the 9th leading cause of death. - **Endoscopic Utilization**: In 2009, there were 6.9 million upper, 11.5 million lower, and 228,000 biliary endoscopies performed, with a total cost of $32.4 billion. Trends show increases in upper and lower GI endoscopy but a decrease in ERCP. The study highlights the significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden of GI diseases in the U.S., emphasizing the need for continued research and resource allocation to address these issues.The article provides a comprehensive update on the burden of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in the United States, based on the latest data from various national databases. Key findings include: - **Symptoms and Diagnoses**: Abdominal pain is the most common GI symptom, with 15.9 million visits in 2009. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is the most frequent diagnosis, accounting for 8.9 million visits. - **Quality of Life**: Select GI diseases and symptoms significantly impact quality of life and work/activity, with colorectal cancer being the leading cause of GI-related mortality. - **Hospitalizations**: Acute pancreatitis is the most common reason for hospitalization, followed by *Clostridium difficile* infection, which has doubled in hospitalizations over the past decade. Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of GI-related mortality. - **Cancer**: Colorectal cancer accounts for over half of all GI cancers and is the leading cause of GI-related deaths. Other common GI cancers include esophageal, pancreatic, and liver cancer. - **Mortality**: Gastrointestinal diseases contribute to 10% of all deaths in the U.S., with *Clostridium difficile* infection becoming the 9th leading cause of death. - **Endoscopic Utilization**: In 2009, there were 6.9 million upper, 11.5 million lower, and 228,000 biliary endoscopies performed, with a total cost of $32.4 billion. Trends show increases in upper and lower GI endoscopy but a decrease in ERCP. The study highlights the significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden of GI diseases in the U.S., emphasizing the need for continued research and resource allocation to address these issues.