The place of famotidine in anti-ulcer therapy

Famotidine now presents physicians in the USA and many European countries with a third option when considering H2-antagonist therapy. A dose of 40 mg in the evening decreases nocturnal gastric acidity for 10-12 hours, leaving daytime-stimulated acidity virtually unaffected. This single evening dosage regimen produces effective healing of gastric and duodenal ulceration; maintenance of healing can then be achieved satisfactorily with 20 mg in the evening. In extensive clinical studies, the adverse effect profile of famotidine is similar to placebo. Famotidine has no known drug interactions and there are no identified mechanisms by which it might be expected to produce them. Circulating plasma hormone concentrations in man are not affected by famotidine and no antiandrogenic properties have been observed in animal studies. Future potential uses of famotidine may include the treatment of haemorrhage from peptic ulcers and the healing of oesophageal ulceration.