Prevention of duodenal ulcer relapse with ranitidine.

Forty-three patients with a recently healed duodenal ulcer were entered into a 1-year double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of ranitidine (Zantac; Glaxo). There were no drop-outs. After 1 year 18 of the 22 patients receiving 150 mg ranitidine at night (82%) and 3 of the 21 receiving placebo (14%) were ulcer- and symptom-free. No drug-related side-effects were noticed. A maintenance dose of ranitidine seems to be a safe and effective means of preventing duodenal ulcer recurrence.