Histamine H 2-receptor Antagonists (Systemic)
Proper Use of This MedicineFor patients
taking the nonprescription strengths
of these
medicines for heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Do not take the maximum daily dosage continuously for more than 2
weeks, unless directed to do so by your doctor.
-
If you have trouble in swallowing, or persistent abdominal pain,
see your doctor promptly. These may be signs of a serious condition that may
need different treatment.
For patients taking the prescription strengths
of these medicines for more serious problems:
-
One dose a day - Take it at bedtime, unless otherwise directed.
-
Two doses a day - Take one in the morning and one at bedtime.
-
Several doses a day - Take them with meals and at bedtime for
best results.
It may take several days before this medicine begins to relieve stomach
pain. To help relieve this pain, antacids may be taken with the H 2
-blocker, unless your doctor has told you not to use them. However,
you should wait one-half to one hour between taking the antacid and the H 2
-blocker.
Take this medicine for the full time of treatment,
even if you begin to feel better
. Also, it is important that you keep
your appointments with your doctor for check-ups so that your doctor will
be better able to tell you when to stop taking this medicine.
For patients taking famotidine chewable tablets
:
-
Chew the tablets well before swallowing.
For patients taking famotidine oral disintegrating
tablets
:
-
Make sure your hands are dry.
-
Leave tablets in unopened package until the time of use, then open
the pack and remove the tablet.
-
Immediately place the tablet on the tongue.
-
The tablet will dissolve in seconds, and you may swallow it with
your saliva. You do not need to drink water or other liquid to swallow the
tablet.
For patients taking ranitidine effervescent granules
or tablets
:
-
Remove the foil wrapping and dissolve the dose in 6 to 8 ounces of
water before drinking.
Dosing - The dose of histamine H 2
-receptor antagonists (also called H 2
-blockers)
will be different for different patients. Follow your
doctor's orders or the directions on the label
. The following information
includes only the average doses of these medicines. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to
do so
. The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of solution, suspension,
or syrup that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between
doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical
problem for which you are taking the H 2
-receptor
antagonist
.
For cimetidine
-
For oral
dosage forms (solution and tablets):
-
To treat duodenal or gastric ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 300 milligrams (mg) four
times a day, with meals and at bedtime. Some people may take 400 or 600 mg
two times a day, on waking up and at bedtime. Others may take 800 mg at bedtime.
-
Children - 20 to 40 mg per kilogram (kg) (9.1 to 18.2 mg per
pound) of body weight a day, divided into four doses, taken with meals and
at bedtime.
-
To prevent duodenal ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 300 mg two times a day,
on waking up and at bedtime. Instead some people may take 400 mg at bedtime.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 100 to 200 mg with water when symptoms
start. The dose may be repeated once in twenty-four hours. Do not take more
than 400 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 100 to 200 mg with water up to one hour
before eating food or drinking beverages you expect to cause symptoms. Do
not take more than 400 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid:
-
Adults - 300 mg four times a day, with meals and at bedtime.
Your doctor may change the dose if needed.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastroesophageal reflux disease:
-
Adults - 800 to 1600 mg a day, divided into smaller doses. Treatment
usually lasts for 12 weeks.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
For injectable
dosage form:
-
To treat duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers or conditions in which the
stomach produces too much acid:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 300 mg injected into muscle,
every six to eight hours. Or, 300 mg injected slowly into a vein every six
to eight hours. Instead, 900 mg may be injected slowly into a vein around
the clock at the rate of 37.5 mg per hour. Some people may need 150 mg at
first, before beginning the around-the-clock treatment.
-
Children - 5 to 10 mg per kg (2.3 to 4.5 mg per pound) of body
weight injected into a vein or muscle, every six to eight hours.
-
To prevent stress-related bleeding:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 50 mg per hour injected
slowly into a vein around the clock for up to 7 days.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
For famotidine
-
For oral
dosage forms (suspension, tablets,
chewable tablets, and oral disintegrating tablets):
-
To treat duodenal ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 40 milligrams (mg) once
a day at bedtime. Some people may take 20 mg two times day.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent duodenal ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 20 mg once a day at bedtime.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastric ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 40 mg once a day at bedtime.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 10 mg with water when symptoms start.
The dose may be repeated once in twenty-four hours. Do not take more than
20 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 10 mg taken one hour before eating a meal
you expect to cause symptoms. The dose may be repeated once in twenty-four
hours. Do not take more than 20 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid:
-
Older adults, adults, and children - 20 mg every six hours. Your
doctor may change the dose if needed.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastroesophageal reflux disease:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 20 mg two times a day,
usually for up to 6 weeks.
-
Children weighing more than 10 kg (22 pounds) - 1 to 2 mg per
kilogram (kg) (0.5 to 0.9 mg per pound) of body weight a day divided into
two doses.
-
Children weighing less than 10 kg (22 pounds) - 1 to 2 mg per
kg (0.5 to 0.9 mg per pound) of body weight a day, divided into three doses.
-
For injectable
dosage form:
-
To treat duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, or conditions in which
the stomach produces too much acid:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 20 mg injected into a vein,
every twelve hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
For nizatidine
-
For oral
dosage forms (capsules and tablets):
-
To treat duodenal or gastric ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 300 milligrams (mg) once
a day at bedtime. Some people may take 150 mg two times a day.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent duodenal ulcers:
-
Adults and teenagers - 150 mg once a day at bedtime.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 75 mg taken thirty to sixty minutes before
eating a meal you expect to cause symptoms. The dose may be repeated once
in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastroesophageal reflux disease:
-
Adults and teenagers - 150 mg two times a day.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
For ranitidine
-
For oral
dosage forms ( effervescent
granules, syrup, tablets, effervescent tablets):
-
To treat duodenal ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 150 milligrams (mg) two
times a day. Some people may take 300 mg once a day at bedtime.
-
Children - 2 to 4 mg per kilogram (kg) (1 to 2 mg per pound)
of body weight per day, usually given as two divided doses. .However, your
total dose will not be more than 300 mg a day.
-
To prevent duodenal ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 150 mg at bedtime.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastric ulcers:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 150 mg two times a day.
-
Children - 2 to 4 mg per kilogram (1 to 2 mg per pound) of body
weight per day, usually given as two divided doses. However, your total dose
will not be more than 300 mg a day.
-
To treat heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 75 mg with water when symptoms start.
The dose may be repeated once in twenty-four hours. Do not take more than
150 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To prevent heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach:
-
Adults and teenagers - 75 mg with water taken thirty to sixty
minutes before eating a meal or drinking beverages you expect to cause symptoms.
Do not take more than 150 mg in twenty-four hours.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat some conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 150 mg two times a day.
Your doctor may change the dose if needed.
-
Children - Dose must be determined by your doctor.
-
To treat gastroesophageal reflux disease:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 150 mg two times a day.
Your dose may be increased if needed.
-
Children - 5 to 10 mg per kg (2.3 to 4.6 mg per pound) of body
weight a day, usually divided and given in two doses during the day. However,
most children usually will not take more than 300 mg a day.
-
For injectable
dosage form:
-
To treat duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, or conditions in which
the stomach produces too much acid:
-
Older adults, adults, and teenagers - 50 mg injected into a muscle
every six to eight hours. Or, 50 mg injected slowly into a vein every six
to eight hours. Instead, you may receive 6.25 mg per hour injected slowly
into a vein around the clock. However, most people will usually not need more
than 400 mg a day.
-
To treat duodenal or gastric ulcers:
-
Children - 2 to 4 mg per kg (1 to 2 mg per pound) of body weight
a day, injected slowly into a vein.
Missed dose - If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as
soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage - To store this medicine:
-
Keep out of the reach of children.
-
Store away from heat and direct light.
-
Do not store the capsule or tablet form of this medicine in the bathroom,
near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause
the medicine to break down.
-
Keep the liquid form of this medicine from freezing.
-
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure
that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.
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