Pepcid

What is it?

An H2 blocker available as square, beige tablets and square, brown tablets containing 20mg and 40mg of famotidine respectively, both marked with strength and name.

Medical Uses

Treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, prevention of relapse of duodenal ulcers. Prevention and treatment of reflux disease of stomach and oesophagus (GORD), treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Dosage

Treatment of ulcers, 40mg taken at night for 4 to 8 weeks; prevention of relapse of duodenal ulcer, 20mg taken at night. Gastrn-oesophageal reflux disease, 20mg twice each day for 6 weeks to 3 months (or 40mg, if damage or ulceration is present). Prevention, 20mg twice each day. ZollingerEllison syndrome, 20mg every 6 hours at first adjusted according to response to a maximum dose of 800mg each day.

Special Care

Pregnancy, stomach cancer or kidney disease.

Avoid Use

Children, breastfeeding.

Known Side Effects

Nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, rash, joint pains, cholestatic jaundice, abdominal pains, angioedema (widespread swelling due to fluid retention), gastrointestinal upset, dry mouth, disturbances in central nervous system, abnormal liver enzymes, headache, anorexia, anaphylaxis, dizziness, weariness. In rare cases, enlargement of breasts in males (reversible), heart block, death of epidermal skin cells.

Manufacturer

M.S.D.