Evaluation of cimetidine as an aid in the management of non-variceal massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

In order to evaluate the effect of H2-receptor blockade as an adjunct to antacid treatment in non-variceal massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, 106 patients were randomized to treatment with either antacid (n = 54) or cimetidine and antacid (n = 52). One patient (antacid group) died as a direct cause of bleeding. Acute surgery was carried out in 8 patients (14.8%) in the antacid group and in 4 patients (7.7%) in the cimetidine-antacid group. Continuous bleeding or re-bleeding occurred in 11 patients (20.4%) in the antacid group and in 10 patients (19.2%) in the cimetidine-antacid group. Neither these differences, nor any differences related to specific source of bleeding, were statistically significant. It is concluded that, according to the regimen applied in the present study, treatment with cimetidine does not to any significant extent influence the immediate outcome for patients with non-variceal massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.