ACID-ASPIRATION PROPHYLAXIS BY USE OF PREOPERATIVE ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF CIMETIDINE

In a double-blind study, a single oral dose of 300 mg cimetidine, administered one and a half to five hours preoperatively, significantly increased (P<0.001) the gastric-fluid pH (5.11 ± 2.51) compared with placebo (2.45 ± 1.52), and significantly decreased (P<0.001) the number of patients at risk for serious pulmonary damage if aspiration occurs (25% of cimetidine-treated patients had pH values of less than 2.5) compared with placebo (75% of patients). Gastric-fluid volume was not significantly altered.