Ulcer drugs are among the highest-selling drugs in the world. While these drugs may be appropriate for acute ulcers, they are not suitable for long-term use, despite being commonly prescribed for anything up to 12 months in order to prevent the recurrence of the ulcer.
Two of the best-selling ulcer drugs, Tagamet and Zantac, work by suppressing gastric-acid secretion. While they temporarily alleviate symptoms in some cases, they do not address the underlying causes of the ulcer. Most patients who take these drugs relapse within two years.
