Potential hazards of hypochlorhydria in the treatment of peptic ulcer

The introduction of ulcer-healing drugs that do not induce hypochlorhydria--the main aim of therapy thus far--has led to the consideration of the possible disadvantages of acid secretion inhibition. Potential dangers are that micro-organisms destroyed by the normal stomach survive and proliferate in the stomach and small intestine. The incidence of gastric cancer is higher in pernicious anemia and after partial gastrectomy. It has been suggested that the intragastric bacteria may convert dietary nitrate into nitrite that may then be nitrosated to carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. The third potential hazard is the development of stagnant loop syndrome in patients treated with H2 antagonists. In a double-blind randomised trial of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) versus cimetidine in duodenal ulcer, gastric juice was aspirated for pH measurement. There was a significant increase in the total number of bacteria isolated during cimetidine treatment (P less than 0.01) and an increase in nitrate-reducing organisms (P less than 0.05), but no change in the CBS group. It is concluded that there may be advantages in using ulcer-healing drugs that do not reduce H+ concentration.