[Treatment of gastric ulcer with sucralfate and famotidine]

We conducted a double blind random study on 79 patients with gastric ulcer: 39 received sucralfate, 1 g 4 times a day (Group 1) and 40 received a single evening dose of famotidine, 40 mg (Group 2). At 4 weeks, endoscopy revealed healing of the ulcer in 46% of patients in Group 1 and 40% in Group 2 (NS). At 8 weeks, corresponding figures were 90% and 75% (NS). All patients were able to complete treatment and minor side effects were reported from all patients, 36% with sucralfate and 28% with famotidine. Thus, sucralfate and famotidine are equally effective for therapy of gastric ulcer. The higher percentage of healing with sucralfate observed in this study was not statistically significant.