Chairman's Introduction
Abstract
Chairmanâs Introduction JAMES FRESTON University of Connecticut Health Center, Connecticut, USA In todayâs world it is relatively easy to heal a duodenal ulcer - the challenge that faces us is to keep it from recurring. Early and frequent recurrences are seen in many patients. Studies have shown that up to 90% of patients will suffer a relapse within the first 12 months after ulcer healing, regardless of which drug is used to heal the ulcer. Once the ulcer is healed, there are four basic treatment strategies that one may employ to manage the patient with recurrent ulcer disease: I . Muintenunce: continuous low-dose treatment following initial ulcer healing. 2. intermittent: full-dose treatment of recurrences, with no maintenance treatment in between. 3. On demund: trcatment only when the symptoms occur. We know that some patients do, in fact, take their medication only until their symptoms subside, regardless of the length of treatment we prescribe, and use it only when symptoms return. 4. Surgery. One of the things we are all, as clinicians, acutely aware of, is that each patient is different, and therapy must be individualised. Therefore, our discussions of these strategies will be in the context of actual