[Effect of H2 blockers on the surgical indications for peptic ulcer]

The effects of introduction of cimetidine therapy were studied by an analysis of all cases of peptic ulcer who came to be operated at the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of São Paulo in the period between 1966 and 1985. A reduction in the frequency of surgical interventions especially after 1978, was verified. Ten percent of all cases operated between 1973 and 1985 and chosen at random were studied in a more detailed way. A reduction in the number of operations for gastric and duodenal ulcers was found. There was a greater interval between diagnosis and surgery, an increased number of operations for stenosis and hemorrhagic peptic ulcers and a reduction in frequency of operations for perforated peptic ulcer. There were no significant differences as to the sex and age of patients, except in cases of perforated peptic ulcer, with a larger number of female patients.