FAILURE OF POTENT ANTACID THERAPY TO HASTEN HEALING IN CHRONIC GASTRIC ULCERS

Abstract

SUMMARY Healing of gastric ulcers in 28 outpatients was measured over a three‐week treatment period. Fifteen patients were treated with an agent (aluminium hydroxide tablets) incapable of elevating the pH of gastric juice, while the other thirteen received large doses of a drug (calcium carbonate) thought to be capable of elevating gastric juice pH. Healing was slightly greater ( P =0·12) in patients treated with the ineffective agent but was not impressive in either group. There was no evidence that either treatment exerted a significant effect on gastric ulcer healing, and the results did not support the widely held belief that antacids hasten the healing of gastric ulcers.