Addition of oxethazaine to a standard antacid in treatment of duodenal ulcer

SummaryA double-blind study in 34 patients with active duodenal ulcer compared the pain-relieving efficacy of an oxethazaine-antacid combination with that of the standard antacid mixture {aluminium hydroxide plus magnesium hydroxide) alone. The addition of the local anaesthetic oxethazaine to the antacid mixture permitted a progressive reduction in the doses required to control pain. A similar reduction was not obtained for the antacid mixture alone. With the oxethazaine - antacid combination not only was a smaller daily dose of medication required, but more patients were free of symptoms at the end of the four weeks' trial.