The Predictive Value of Cimetidine-Induced Inhibition of Gastric Acid Secretion on the Outcome of Treatment in Peptic Ulcer Disease

Abstract

The effect of Cimetidine treatment on healing of active peptic ulcers was evaluated by endoscopy and related to the effect on acid secretion. The percentage inhibition of acid secretion and the individual sensitivity to Cimetidine were significantly higher in patients whose ulcers had healed after treatment for 6 weeks than in patients whose ulcers had not healed. However, the great variation in percentage inhibition of acid secretion and in plasma Cimetidine levels in the individual patient limits the usefulness of these tests in clinical practice for predicting the outcome of Cimetidine treatment

Key words:

• Acid inhibition
• acid secretion
• healing cimetidine
• peptic ulcer healing