Famotidine
Risk Factor: BM
Class: GASTROINTESTINAL AGENTS
/ Antisecretory Agents
Contents of this page:
Fetal Risk Summary
Breast Feeding Summary
References
Questions and Answers
Fetal Risk Summary
Famotidine, a reversible histamine H2-receptor antagonist that is more potent than either cimetidine or ranitidine, is used in the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers and in the therapy of pathologic hypersecretory conditions, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Studies in rats and rabbits, using oral doses up to 2000 mg/kg/day and IV doses of 100200 mg/kg/day, found no evidence of impaired fertility, fetotoxic effects, teratogenicity, or changes in postnatal behavior attributable to famotidine (1,2).
The drug is known to cross the term human placenta based on in vitro studies (3). No published reports on the use of famotidine in human pregnancy have appeared in the medical literature.
In a surveillance study of Michigan Medicaid recipients involving 229,101 completed pregnancies conducted between 1985 and 1992, 33 newborns had been exposed to famotidine during the 1st trimester (F. Rosa, personal communication, FDA, 1993). Two (6.1%) major birth defects were observed (one expected). No anomalies were observed in six defect categories (cardiovascular defects, oral clefts, spina bifida, polydactyly, limb reduction defects, and hypospadias) for which specific data were available. The number of exposures is too small to draw any conclusions.
Breast Feeding Summary
Famotidine is concentrated in breast milk, but to a lesser degree than either cimetidine or ranitidine (4). Following a single 40-mg dose administered to eight postpartum women who were not breast-feeding, the mean milk:plasma ratios at 2, 6, and 24 hours were 0.41, 1.78, and 1.33, respectively (4). The mean peak milk concentration, 72 ng/mL, occurred at 6 hours compared to 2 hours for plasma (mean 75 ng/mL). Exposure of the nursing infant to famotidine via milk has not been reported. Although a potential risk may exist for adverse effects, another drug in this class, cimetidine, is considered to be compatible with breast feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics (5). A 1991 Reference source suggested that because famotidine and two other similar histamine H2-receptor antagonists (i.e., nizatidine and roxatidine) are less concentrated in milk, they may be preferred in the nursing woman in place of cimetidine or ranitidine (6).
References
- Burek JD, Majka JA, Bokelman DL. Famotidine: summary of preclinical safety assessment. Digestion 1985;32(Suppl 1):714.
- Shibata M, Kawano K, Shiobara Y, Yoshinaga T, Fujiwara M, Uchida T, Odani Y. Reproductive studies on famotidine (YM 11170) in rats and rabbits. Oyo Yakuri 1983;26:48997, 54378, 83140. As cited in Shepard TH. Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. 6th ed. Baltimore, MD:Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989:273.
- Dicke JM, Johnson RF, Henderson GI, Kuehl TJ, Schenker S. A comparative evaluation of the transport of H2-receptor antagonists by the human and baboon placenta. Am J Med Sci 1988;295:198206.
- Courtney TP, Shaw RW, Cedar E, Mann SG, Kelly JG. Excretion of famotidine in breast milk. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1988;26:639P.
- Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics. The transfer of drugs and other chemicals into human milk. Pediatrics 1994;93:13750.
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Anderson PO. Drug use during breast-feeding. Clin Pharm 1991;10:594624.
Questions and Answers
why would the vet have given my dog Famotidine?, Why would the vet have given my dog Famotidine while she was hospitalized? She was there for steroid treatment to see if it would help her problem with bad back and not being able to stand on back legs. She was 16.
Famotidine helps with keeping the stomach calm when on steroids. It's the same as pepcid. Steroids seem to hard on the stomach. It's just a preventative measure.
Hope this helps
Good luck
How is Cimetidine (tagamet) and Famotidine (pepcid) different?, How do they work differently through the body. If it does the same thing how can they sell as two different compounds? Please cite your refferences. Thanks alot!
Close, but they block the H2 receptor, not H1. They are two different compunds or the same class that block histamine induced acid secretion.
What is the difference between Tagamet (Cimetidine) and Pepcid (Famotidine)?,
Both drugs are H2-receptor antagonists, thus, both inhibit acid production in the stomach.
They are usually prescribed for GERD, but neither drug treats the cause of GERD.
Both drugs are dangerous. They cause malabsorption of some vitamins (e.g. Vitamin B12) and many minerals (e.g. calcium, zinc, iron, etc.).
These drugs also cause bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, which is not a good thing! In fact, when researchers want to study bacterial overgrowth, they induce it with these types of drugs!
In conclusion: avoid these drugs. Find a doctor that will work with you to 'find and fix' the cause of your problem.
What is the use of Famotidine 20MG and Diclofenac 75MG SR?,
Famotidine is an H2 receptor antagonist drug to treat hyperacidity, peptic ulcers & gastroesophageal reflux.
While Diclofenac is an NSAID which acts as anti-inflammatory & analgesic for muscoloskeletal pains. The most common side effects is GI bleeding and ulcers. Most of the time patients are given ulcer-protective drug as prophylaxis during long-term treatment such as Famotidine.
can i drink alcohol while taking famotidine?, i took a famotidine earlier today. can i drink alcohol later tonight?
Famotidine is in a class of drugs called histamine receptor antagonists. Famotidine works by decreasing the amount of acid the stomach produces. The drug and alcohol is not a risky adventure but I bet the alcohol itself will do a number on your ulcer. For that reason drink at your own risk.
Do not take antacids within 1 hour of taking famotidine. Antacids may decrease the effectiveness of famotidine.
What will happen to a cat if it misses a dosage of Famotidine?,
Nothing, this drug reduces stomach acid, so missing one dose wont have much of a effect at all.
what would taking famotidine do to you if u dont have to take it?, I have that acid reflex and i am taking famotidine it was perscribed to me to take it twice a day until im told to stop takeing it. I missed a dose and since the day i missed it my stomaches been burning.But even before i started taking the pill it was burning. But when i started taking the pill it was just occasonal burning. but since i missed that one dose its been burning.
famotidine causes acid production in ur stomach to decrease .acid causes ur burning sensation.......
if u still have burning sensation u can change over to other drugs like omeprazole,pantoprazole,etc....or even a combination of drugs to get rid of a bacteria called h.pylori...which u may have in ur stomach...which causes acid to attack ur stomach....
so stopping fam is not causing ur burning sensation...
ask ur doc...too
can you mix narproxen and famotidine with magnesium citrate?, i have pleurisy so i take naproxen for it and i take famotidine, but i also have stomach problems is it ok if i take citroma?(magnesium citrate)
Famotidine should help with the pain if you're already on naproxen. Naproxen might cause gastric ulcers, intestinal bleeding, or acid excess, so if famotidine is no longe helpin, you should go to see a doctor, to make sure everything is ok.
In the meanwhile, (only in the meanwhile), yes, it's ok to use citroma
Does taking famotidine makeing me fat?, Doctor just found out I have diabetes type 2 and he has prescribe famotidine 500 mg twice a day.I really don't take this medicine because I feel it makes me gain weight.Instead I try not to eat carbohydrates.Please let me know if you know something about it.
What I do know is you should be taking the medication prescribed by your doctor!
