APPROACHES TO THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Current therapies to heal peptic ulcers and eradicate Helicobacter pyl ori generally rely on a combination of antibacterial agents and anti-s ecretory drugs. The major factors affecting the outcome of these eradi cation therapies are the selection of antibiotic(s), daily dose, the d osage regiment(s) selected and duration of dosing and patient non-comp liance due to side effects or number or tablets to be taken. Future th erapies will seek to maximize effectiveness through taking account of these factors. The only new drug to be introduced in recent years uniq uely for the eradication of H. pylori is ranitidine bismuth citrate, w hich when combined with a single antibiotic (clarithromycin) or two an tibiotics has been shown to be highly effective (even against H. pylor i ''resistant'' to clarithromycin, treated with the simple dual therap y).