# Rabeprazole Superior to Ranitidine in Patients With Erosive GERD



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI:Rabeprazole Superior to Ranitidine inPatients With Erosive GERD WESTPORT, Sep 19 (Reuters Health) - The proton pumpinhibitor rabeprazole is significantly more effective than thehistamine-2-receptor antagonist ranitidine in healing erosivegastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and relievingassociated symptoms of heartburn, according to a report in theAugust issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Moreover, the two drugs are equally safe and well tolerated,Dr. Thomas J. Humphries, of Princeton Junction, New Jersey,and investigators with the Rabeprazole Study Group report inthe article. The team compared the safety and efficacy of the two drugs in arandomized study including 338 patients with erosive GERDand grade 2, 3 or 4 esophagitis. Patients were treated witheither rabeprazole, 20 mg once daily, or ranitidine, 150 mg fourtimes daily (US-approved dose), for 4 weeks. If endoscopyrevealed persistent esophageal lesions at this time point,patients continued treatment and were reassessed for healing inanother 4 weeks. At 4 weeks, esophageal lesions were completely healed in59% of patients randomized to rabeprazole and 36% of thosereceiving ranitidine. And at 8 weeks, lesions were healed in87% of rabeprazole patients versus 66% of patients onranitidine. Also, symptoms of heartburn and sense ofwell-being both improved significantly more in patients usingrabeprazole compared with those randomized to ranitidine. While ranitidine "produced quite good results in this trial,"rabeprazole was still "numerically and statistically superior interms of healing and symptom relief," Dr. Humphries andcolleagues conclude. Am J Gastroenterol 2000;95:1894-1899. ------------------ http://www.ibshealth.com/


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## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Thanks, ERic! This is good news for GERD people.







JeanG


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