Cimetidine treatment fortheprevention ofrecurrence ofduodenal ulcer: aninternational collaborative study

Summary Comparison ofcimetidine andplacebo intheprevention ofrecurrence ofulceration wascarried outinthe study of696patients withrecently healed duodenal ulcers. Treatment withcimetidine 400mg atbedtimeortwice daily forupto12months verysignificantly reduced recurrence ofsymptomatic ulceration. Asymptomatic ulceration occurred intreated and untreated patients butwasfoundsignificantly less often incimetidine-treated patients. Therewereno serious untoward effects ofcimetidine treatment. Only 3patients (08%)werewithdrawn forpossible drugrelated reasons. Evidence fromother studies suggests thatthenatural history ofduodenal ulcer remains unaltered whencimetidine treatment isstopped after oneyear. Investigations havebeenplanned tostudy theefficacy andsafety oflonger periods oftreatment.