RELIEF OF SYMPTOMS BY FAMOTIDINE IN NONER OSIVE GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE - RESULTS OF AN OPEN MULTICENTER STUDY

180 patients suffering from frequent heartburn and endoscopically norm al oesophageal mucosa or mild non-erosive oesophagitis entered an open , multicentre study to evaluate the 6-week safety profile and efficacy on symptom relief of famotidine (CAS 76824-35-6, Pepdule(R) mite), a potent and long-acting H-2-receptor antagonist. By week 6 the cumulati ve percentage of patients with defined response, that is complete reli ef of heartburn in 5 days and only mild discomfort in the remaining 2 days of a week, reached 68.9% whereas the cumulative percentage of pat ients with complete relief of heartburn within a week reached 52.7%. T hroughout the evaluation period famotidine relieved nighttime heartbur n better than daytime heartburn. More than 75% of the responders remai ned without recurrence. Even the non-responders experienced a 60-70% r eduction of heartburn severity assessed using scores. Antacid consumpt ion was reduced from 18 tablets (median) in week 0 to 5 tablets in wee k 6. 90% of the patients reported at week 6 excellent (67.2%) or moder ate (22.8%) symptomatic improvement. No serious adverse events attribu table to famotidine occurred. It is concluded that in patients with no n-erosive gastroesophaegal reflux disease famotidine therapy, 20 mg tw ice daily, in highly effective in reducing reflux disease symptoms.