[Comparative study of the effects of famotidine and omeprazole in the prevention of the aspiration of gastric contents syndrome in elective surgery]. / Studio comparativo degli effetti della famotidina e dell'omeprazolo nella profilassi della sindrome da aspirazione di contenuto gastrico in chirurgia elettiva.

This study compares the efficacy of omeprazole and famotidine in reducing gastric volume and activity. Sixty patients scheduled to undergo elective orthopaedic surgery were randomly allocated to receive famotidine 40 mg or omeprazole 40 mg at 22 hours, the night before surgery, or omeprazole at 22 hours the night before and 20 mg at 6 hours on the morning of surgery, 20 patients served as control and received no drugs. Intragastric volume and pH were measured immediately after induction anaesthesia and after surgery. Either drug reduces gastric volume. Famotidine reduces at maximum volume. Omeprazole reduces at maximum pH. Omeprazole 40 mg in some cases doesn't sufficiently reduced pH, because the interval from drug administration to induction of anaesthesia is too long. The comparably high volume of gastric content after omeprazole in single or double dose doesn't represent a risk.