1. Introduction: Aims of the Study and a Review of the Natural History of Duodenal Ulcer Disease

Abstract

The aims of the study were to determine the efficacy and safety of long-term maintenance treatment of patients with duodenal ulcer disease with ranitidine. To provide a background against which the results of this study can be judged, a review of the natural history of duodenal ulcer disease is given, together with an account of the influence that surgery and maintenance treatment with H₂-receptor antagonists have had on ulcer disease. It is concluded that duodenal ulcer disease constitutes a chronic disposition to develop ulcer recurrence which persists for many decades and that patients with this condition remain at risk of developing haemorrhage, perforation, and pyloric stenosis for many years.

Key Words:

• Duodenal ulcer
• maintenance treatment
• natural history