Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Famotidine

 
Dental Dictionary: famotidine
 

n

trade names: Pepcid, Pepcid IV; drug class: H2 histamine receptor antagonist; action: inhibits histamine at H2 receptor site in parietal cells, which inhibits gastric acid secretion; uses: short-term treatment of active duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, and heartburn.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
Drug Info: Famotidine
 

Brand names: Acid ControllerHeartburn ReliefMylanta® ARPepcid®Pepcid® AC

Chemical formula:



Famotidine injection

What is famotidine injection?

FAMOTIDINE (Pepcid®) is a type of antihistamine that blocks the release of stomach acid. Famotidine is used to treat stomach and intestinal ulcers. It can relieve ulcer pain and discomfort. Famotidine is also used to control acid reflux (heartburn). Generic famotidine injections are available.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• an alcohol abuse probem
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• other chronic illness
• an unusual or allergic reaction to famotidine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

Famotidine is for infusion into a vein.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, use only that dose. Do not use double or extra doses.

What drug(s) may interact with famotidine?

cefditoren
cefpodoxime
cefuroxime
delavirdine
itraconazole
ketoconazole
metformin
• theophylline

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What should I watch for while taking famotidine?

Tell your prescriber or health care professional if your condition does not improve or gets worse.

Do not self-medicate with aspirin, ibuprofen or other antiinflammatory medicines; these can aggravate your condition.

Do not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol; these increase irritation in your stomach and can lengthen the time it will take for ulcers to heal. Cigarettes and alcohol can also worsen acid reflux or heartburn.

If you get black, tarry stools or vomit up what looks like coffee grounds, call your prescriber or health care professional at once. You may have a bleeding ulcer.

What side effects may I notice from receiving famotidine?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
Rare or uncommon:
• confusion
• hallucinations
• skin rash, itching

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• agitation, nervousness
• constipation
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• headache
• nausea

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store in a refrigerator between 2 and 8 degrees C (36 and 46 degrees F). Restore to room temperature before use. Do not use if the solution is discolored or particulate matter is present. After recommended dilution it may be kept at room temperature for 48 hours.

Last updated: 9/26/2003 3:43:00 PM

Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.

 
Veterinary Dictionary: famotidine
Top

A histamine H2-receptor antagonist, similar to cimetidine.

 
Wikipedia: Famotidine
Top
Famotidine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
3-([2-(diaminomethyleneamino)thiazol-4-yl]methylthio)-N'-sulfamoylpropanimidamide
Identifiers
CAS number 76824-35-6
ATC code A02BA03
PubChem 3325
DrugBank APRD00296
ChemSpider 3208
Chemical data
Formula C8H15N7O2S3 
Mol. mass 337.449 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 20–66%
Protein binding 10–28%
Metabolism hepatic-less than 30%
Half life 2.5–4 hours (clinical half-life 8–12 hours)
Excretion Principally excreted unchanged in urine
Therapeutic considerations
Licence data

US FDA:link

Pregnancy cat.

B1 (Au), B (U.S.)

Legal status

S3/S4 (Au), POM/OTC (UK),
OTC/℞-only (U.S.)

Routes Oral, IV

Famotidine (INN) (pronounced /fəˈmɒtɪdiːn/) is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production, and it is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD/GORD). It is commonly marketed by Johnson & Johnson/Merck under the trade names Pepcidine and Pepcid. Unlike cimetidine, the first H2 antagonist, famotidine has no effect on the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, and does not appear to interact with other drugs.[1]

Contents

History and development

Famotidine was developed by Merck & Co. and is marketed by a joint venture between Merck and Johnson & Johnson. The imidazole-ring of cimetidine was replaced with a 2-guanidinothiazole ring. Famotidine proved to be 30 times more active than cimetidine.[citation needed]

It was first marketed in 1985. Pepcid RPD orally-disintegrating tablets (that are not swallowed) were released in 1999. Generic preparations became available in 2001, e.g. Fluxid (Schwarz) or Quamatel (Gedeon Richter Ltd.).

In the United States, a product called Pepcid Complete is available that combines famotidine with an antacid in a chewable tablet to ameliorate the relatively slow onset of effects. In the UK, this product is known as Pepcidtwo.

Famotidine suffers from poor bioavailability (50%), as famotidine is poorly soluble in acid pH e.g. stomach. Famotidine used in combination with antacids promotes local delivery of these drugs to the receptor of the parietal cell wall. Therefore researchers are developing innovative formulations of tablets, such gastroretentive drug delivery systems. Such tablets are retained in the stomach for a longer period of time and thereby improve the bioavailability of drugs. Local delivery also increases bioavailability at the stomach wall receptor site and increases the efficacy of drugs to reduce acid secretion.[2]

Clinical use

Certain preparations of famotidine are available over the counter (OTC) in various countries. In the United States, preparations of 10 mg and 20 mg tablets, sometimes in combination with a more traditional antacid, are available OTC. Larger doses still require a prescription.

Famotidine is given to surgery patients before operations to prevent post-operation nausea and to reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonitis.

Adverse effects

Few adverse drug reactions are associated with famotidine use. In clinical trials, the most common adverse effects were headache, dizziness, and constipation or diarrhea.[3]

References



 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Drug Info. Gold Standard. Copyright © 2008 by Gold Standard. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Famotidine" Read more