A trial was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of ranitidine 300 mg die, famotidine 40 mg die and omeprazole 20 mg die in short-term treatment of bleeding duodenal ulcer in 3 groups of 15 patients. The healing rates after 2.4 weeks were 33.60% respectively with ranitidine, 40, 70% respectively with famotidine and 53, 93% respectively with omeprazole. All the drugs were well tolerated and the adverse events were infrequent and moderate. The recurrence rates after 6, 12 months were 20, 33% respectively with ranitidine, 13, 20% respectively with famotidine and only 7, 13% respectively with omeprazole. In our experience, omeprazole seems to be superior to famotidine and to ranitidine in the short-term treatment of bleeding duodenal ulcer, with the shortest relapse rate.