Prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding in burns: the effects of cimetidine or antacids combined with early enteral feeding.

The efficacy of prophylactic therapy with cimetidine or antacids combined with early enteral feeding to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with severe burns was evaluated. Fifty patients with burns exceeding 30 per cent of the total body surface area (TBSA) were divided into two groups, each of them treated by one of these agents in combination with early feeding. Bleeding was not encountered in either group. It is assumed that the combination of either agent with enteral feeding early in the post-burn course equally protected against gastrointestinal bleeding. Because of the ease and lack of side-effects of cimetidine in this series, its use was preferable.