Cimetidine treatment of recurrent ulcer

Twenty-one consecutive patients with endoscopically proven recurrent ulcer were treated continuously with cimetidine, 1 g daily for 8 weeks. After 4 weeks' treatment 18 (86%) of the patients were free of symptoms, and the ulcers had healed in 17 (81%). At the 8th-week examination symptoms had disappeared, and ulcers were healed in 19 patients (91%). Within 6 weeks after withdrawal of cimetidine six patients (28%) presented recurrence of ulcers and symptoms. This study demonstrates that recurrent ulcer patients respond to cimetidine with regard to healing of ulcers and disappearance of symptoms, as do unoperated duodenal ulcer patients. Because operation for recurrent ulcer carries an increased mortality, we suggest that cimetidine should be attempted in the treatment.