The aim of this study was to compare the healing capacities of sucralfate and cimetidine in gastric ulcer. Twenty-nine patients were randomly assigned to active sucralfate (1 g qid) and cimetidine placebo, or to cimetidine (300 mg qid) and sucralfate placebo. The patients were endoscoped before entry into the study, after 4 wk, and after 8 wk if complete healing was not found at 4 wk. Twenty-five patients completed the study. After 4 wk, 50% (6/12) of the sucralfate patients had healed in comparison to 54% (7/13) of cimetidine patients. After 8 wk, the cumulative healing rates were 75% and 77%, respectively. The results indicate that sucralfate is as effective as cimetidine in the short-term treatment of gastric ulcer.