[Gastroenterology. II: Acid research and ulcer therapy]

Three discoveries of the last thirty years have revolutionized acid research and ulcer therapy: H2-receptors and their competitive inhibition, the acid pump and its blockade and, finally, Helicobacter pylori and its central role in ulcer disease. Today the problem of ulcer treatment is more or less solved by the correct use of antibiotics, while the cure of reflux disease is still problematic: pump blockers accelerate the healing of mucosal breaks and prevent, when given at long term, recurrences but they cannot change the natural history of reflux disease. These facts form the basis for future research.