Symposium on peptic ulcer disease. 1. Medical treatment of peptic ulcer.

The conventional treatment of peptic ulcer disease with special dietary regimens, antacids or anticholinergics has been found wanting. Recently introduced agents show considerable promise in the benefit they can render. Carbenoxolone accelerates the healing of gastric ulcers by increasing gastric mucosal resistance. Cimetidine, a histamine HI-receptor antagonist, is an effective suppressant of acid secretion and therefore promotes healing of duodenal ulcers. Metoclopramide hastens gastric emptying and increases the tone of the gastroesophageal sphincter, and is valuable in cases of reflux esophagitis and gastric ulcer.