Background: Many individuals with heartburn self-medicate with antacids for relief of their symptoms. Aim: To compare efficacy of effervescent ranitidine to as-needed calcium carbonate antacids in subjects who self-treat heartburn. Methods: A total of 155 subjects with frequent antacid-responsive heartburn were randomized to receive effervescent ranitidine 150 mg tablets b.d., or as-needed calcium carbonate 750 mg for 12 weeks. Endoscopic oesophagitis severity and mucosal histology were assessed at baseline, and at weeks 6 and 12. Heartburn frequency, severity, and antacid consumption were recorded daily, and quality of life was assessed at baseline, and at weeks 6 and 12. Results: Heartburn frequency and severity were significantly decreased after 1 day of ranitidine (P < 0.02). By week 6, ranitidine had significantly decreased rescue antacid consumption (7.3 tablets, P < 0.001) vs. antacids (14.1 tablets). Endoscopic oesophagitis healing (≤ grade 1) was significantly better with ranitidine (55%, P = 0.022) vs. antacids (29%). Quality of life was improved by both treatments; however, ranitidine was numerically superior for all quality of life parameters, statistically superior for several quality of life indices at week 6 and for the pain-related index by week 12 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: For subjects self-administering antacids for chronic heartburn, effervescent ranitidine 150 mg b.d. is more effective than antacids in reducing heartburn, healing erosive oesophagitis, alleviating pain, and improving quality of life.
CITATION STYLE
Earnest, D., Robinson, M., Rodriguez-Stanley, S., Ciociola, A. A., Jaffe, P., Silver, M. T., … Murdock, R. H. (2000). Managing heartburn at the “base” of the GERD “iceberg”: Effervescent ranitidine 150 mg b.d. provides faster and better heartburn relief than antacids. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 14(7), 911–918. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00785.x
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