In single doses ranitidine effervescent is more effective than lansoprazole in decreasing gastric acidity

BACKGROUND: A rapid and reproducible decrease of gastric acidity is preferable in patients with penetrating/perforating peptic ulcers and in on-demand treatment of some patients with dyspepsia. The present study was done to compare the effect of single doses of ranitidine effervescent with that of the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole. METHOD: Twelve healthy young volunteers were studied by 11-h intragastric continuous pH recording after the intake of ranitidine 150 or 300 mg effervescent tablets or lansoprazole 30 mg capsules. Trial medications were taken with 200 mL water, and the subjects remained fasting apart from 250 mL fluid at 4 h. RESULTS: Ranitidine effervescent, both 150 and 300 mg, induced a rapid and persisting increase in gastric pH in most of the subjects, whereas a single dose of lansoprazole 30 mg did not affect intragastric pH in five of the twelve subjects. CONCLUSION: The histamine H2-blocker ranitidine given as an effervescent formulation is superior to the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole in inducing a rapid decrease of gastric acidity.