A double-blind controlled study to compare the efficacy of an antacid plus oxethazaine with that of an antacid alone in the treatment of pain due to gastric or duodenal ulceration.

A double-blind study was carried out in 40 patients with typical ulcer pain and suffering from gastric or duodenal ulcer to compare the pain-relieving efficacy of oxethazaine/magnesium and aluminium hydroxide mixture with that of the antacid combination alone. Patients took 8 ml doses of either treatment when necessary over a period of 4 weeks. Both treatment regimens were equally effective in reducing the painful symptoms of peptic ulceration, but the total volume of medication required to achieve adequate symptomatic relief was less in patients taking antacid plus oxethazaine than in patients taking antacid alone. It is suggested that the combination of oxethazaine plus antacids, therefore, is to be preferred, because, by allowing a reduction in the intake of antacid, the risk of side-effects due to antacid therapy is thereby reduced.