Does the choice of acute treatment influence future ulcer relapse?

Despite the fact that the direct effect of drugs used for healing of ulcers does not last longer than hours, or at most a few days, some clinical studies have indicated that the rate of new ulcers after short courses of treatment depends on the drug used for healing. Several studies have now shown that the development of new ulcers in the same, regardless whether active ulcers have been healed with antacids or histamine H2-receptor antagonists. This lack of difference in clinical outcome is very likely true also for sucralfate and omeprazole in comparison with histamine H2-antagonists. A bismuth compound can perhaps prolong the period of clinical remission in a subgroup of patients in whom campylobacter pylori do not recur after finalized ulcer healing treatment. Other factors, i.e. smoking, and not the choice of ulcer healing drug, are of importance to recurrencies of new ulcers.