[2 or 4 daily doses of cimetidine in the treatment of gastric ulcer?]. / Zwei oder vier Tagesdosen Cimetidin zur Behandlung des Ulcus ventriculi?

In a randomized multicentre study of 149 patients with gastric ulcer the effect of 1000 mg cimetidine daily applied in four separate doses was compared to that of 400 mg cimetidine twice a day. In both patient groups similar healing rates were observed. 80.3% and 74.0%, respectively, of the ulcers healed within 6 weeks, and 93.8% and 90.3%, respectively, within 10 weeks. Abdominal pain and antacid consumption decreased under both regimens to a similar degree. Drug safety was good. Lower cost and simplicity in the administration make the b. i. d. regimen of cimetidine preferable to the q. i. d. regimen in the acute treatment of gastric ulcer.