Gastric Acidity and Normally Produced Anxiety

Abstract

Summary Ten hospitalized patients were given two routine gastric acid intubations on two successive days. On the second day some anxiety over the need for the second intubation was manifest by each patient. Fractional samples of free and total gastric acid secretion for the two days showed that in each case, acid levels were significantly elevated on the second day. These elevated acid levels were maintained throughout the second day. These elevations were attributed to the anxiety which had been normally induced by the situation. No significant differences in relative elevation of acid levels were found between patients with and without upper gastrointestinal symptoms.