Yasutake K, Amano M, Mizokami Y, Kubota S, Fukumoto H, Imamura Y, Yokoya H, Irie K
Department of Gastroenterology, Hyogo Medical Center for Adults, Akashi, Japan.
J Int Med Res. 1998 Jan-Feb;26(1):25-36. doi: 10.1177/030006059802600103.
The efficacy of switching from one type of H2-receptor antagonist (H2-blocker) to another, in the treatment of H2-blocker-resistant ulcers was investigated using H2-blockers with five-membered rings (five-membered-ring agents)--such as cimetidine, ranitidine and famotidine--and an H2-blocker with a six-membered ring, roxatidine. By switching from a five-membered-ring agent to roxatidine in the treatment of five-membered-ring resistant ulcers (study I), gastric ulcers were healed in nine of 19 patients (47%) and duodenal ulcers were healed in eight of nine patients (89%). By switching from roxatidine to one of the five-membered-ring agents in the treatment of roxatidine-resistant ulcers (study II), gastric ulcer was healed in six of 15 patients (40%), and duodenal ulcer was healed in 4 of 10 patients (40%). Particularly in the case of duodenal ulcers, the switch to treatment with roxatidine, which has a different chemical structure from the five-membered-ring agents, may be useful in the treatment of five-membered-ring-resistant ulcers.
