EFFECTIVENESS OF RANITIDINE 150 MG AT BEDTIME AS MAINTENANCE THERAPY FOR HEALED GASTRIC-ULCERS

As many as 89% of gastric ulcer patients experience ulcer recurrences within 1 year of successful healing with conventional antiulcer therap ies. Because ranitidine is effective in the healing of gastric and duo denal ulcers and the maintenance of healed duodenal ulcers, we hypothe sized that ranitidine would also be effective in the maintenance of he aled gastric ulcers. A 48-week, placebo-controlled, randomized, double -blind, multicenter trial was conducted to compare ranitidine 150 mg a dministered at bedtime with placebo for the maintenance of healed gast ric ulcers. Endoscopies were performed at baseline and repeated after 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks of treatment. Gastric ulcer recurrence rates at each scheduled endoscopy were significantly lower in patients recei ving ranitidine (5%, 13%, 16%, and 19%, respectively) compared with th ose receiving placebo (20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%, respectively). Compared with placebo, ranitidine was more effective in maintaining healed gas tric ulcers regardless of previous gastric ulcer history, smoking stat us, age (< 65 vs greater than or equal to 65 years), or sex. There wer e no significant differences between the two treatment groups in the n umber of patients experiencing adverse events or laboratory abnormalit ies. Ranitidine 150 mg administered at bedtime provides safe and effec tive treatment for the maintenance of healed gastric ulcers.