Long-term treatment with cimetidine

Abstract

Forty-seven patients were treated in a double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy of 400 mg cimetidine, an H2- receptor antagonist (Tagamet; SKF), twice a day in the prevention of recurrent duodenal ulcers. A total of 7 patients was not considered in the final evaluation; 6 patients withdrew, while 1 patient did not maintain the prescribed treatment. Of the remaining 40 patients, 26 took cimetidine and 14 placebo. Ulcers recurred in all placebo patients within a year. Of the cimetidine patients, 2 had recurrent ulcers within a year, while 3 more had other endoscopic abnormalities at the termination of treatment. The remaining 21 patients (80,8%) had no abnormalities which could be endoscopically observed at the end of a year. It may be concluded that a maintenance dose of cimetidine significantly reduces the risk of recurrence of a duodenal ulcer.