Single nocturnal dose of an H2 receptor antagonist for the treatment of duodenal ulcer.

Twenty four hour intragastric acidity and nocturnal acid output have been measured over five separate 24 hour periods in each of 12 patients with duodenal ulcer receiving either placebo, cimetidine 400 mg bd, cimetidine 300 mg nocte, ranitidine 150 mg bd, or ranitidine 300 mg nocte. In these doses ranitidine was significantly more effective at decreasing intragastric acidity and nocturnal acid output than cimetidine. There was no significant …