RANITIDINE 300-MG AT BEDTIME IS EFFECTIVE FOR GASTRIC-ULCERS - A 12-WK, MULTICENTER, RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED COMPARISON

Ranitidine 150 mg twice daily is effective for the treatment of gastri c ulcers. We proposed that ranitidine 300 mg once daily would also be effective. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicen ter, parallel-group study, adults with an endoscopically verified acut e gastric ulcer greater-than-or-equal-to 5 mm were treated with either ranitidine 300 mg (n = 183) or placebo (n = 178) at bedtime for up to 12 wk. Gastric ulcer healing, determined by endoscopy, was achieved i n 65% and 89% of ranitidine-treated patients by 6 and 12 wk, compared with 45% and 72% of placebo-treated patients by 6 wk and 12 wk (p < 0. 001). Throughout the 12-wk study, ranitidine 300 mg was significantly more effective than placebo in relieving pain (p < 0.05), with ranitid ine-treated patients also using fewer antacid tablets. Ranitidine 300 mg had a safety profile similar to that of placebo. We conclude that r anitidine 300 mg at bedtime is safe and effective for healing acute ga stric ulcers.