Back to Drug index

Back to H2 Antagonists

Name: Famotidine

Pregnancy Category B

Drug classes

• Histamine2 (H2) antagonist

Therapeutic actions

Competitively blocks the action of histamine at the histamine (H2) receptors of the parietal cells of the stomach; inhibits basal gastric acid secretion and chemically induced gastric acid secretion.

Indications

• Short-term treatment and maintenance of duodenal ulcer
• Short-term treatment of benign gastric ulcer
• Treatment of pathologic hypersecretory conditions
• Short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophagitis due to GERD

Contraindications/cautions

• Allergy to famotidine; renal failure; pregnancy; lactation.

Adverse effects

• CNS: Headache, malaise, dizziness, somnolence, insomnia
• GI: Diarrhea, constipation, anorexia, abdominal pain
• Dermatologic: Skin rash
• Other: Muscle cramp, increase in total bilirubin, sexual impotence

		Are you a doctor or a nurse? Do you want to join the Doctors Lounge online medical community? Participate in editorial activities (publish, peer review, edit) and give a helping hand to the largest online community of patients. Click on the link below to see the requirements: Doctors Lounge Membership Application

send to a friend printer friendly version

The GIT Discussion Board     Gastroenterology Forum       Liver Diseases Forum       The Gastroenterology Articles