Antacid therapy of duodenal ulcer. Effects of smaller doses.

In a previous study, antacids in a dose consuming 480 mmol of acid per day were administered in combination with small doses of trimipramine or cimetidine. The healing rate of duodenal ulcer after 6 weeks' treatment was 85%. In a subsequent study, the dose of antacids was reduced further and antacid tablets were given instead of liquid antacids. In this study, antacids were given alone and the daily dose consumed only 280 mmol of acid. The healing rate of duodenal ulcer after 4 weeks' treatment was 81%, but the symptomatic effect was weak. The effect of this dose of antacid tablets on intragastric postprandial pH was much less than the effect of a therapeutic dose of ranitidine. The high efficacy of smaller doses of antacids on ulcer healing, in spite of a weak effect on acidity, suggests the possibility that, in duodenal ulcer, antacids may act via other mechanisms than neutralization of hydrochloric acid.