Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is the presence of systemic atherosclerosis in arteries distal to the arch of the aorta. As a result of the atherosclerotic process, patients with PVD develop narrowing of these arteries.
Whether your shortness of breath is related strictly to GERD or is due to GERD-related asthma, there are small steps you can take to prevent and treat it. Often, the most effective steps to prevent GERD involve making some lifestyle changes.
It is still debated whether asthma causes the GERD, or if it is the other way around. There are a couple of reasons why the medical community associates the two conditions. The first is that the coughing that accompanies asthma attacks may lead to changes in chest pressure, which can trigger reflux.