Zita

What is it?

An Hz-bloeker available as film-coated, green tablets in 3 strengths containing 200, 400 and 800mg of cimetidine all marked with strength, name and company name.

Medical Uses

Ulcers (stomach, benign gastric and duodenal), reflux oesophagitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Dosage

Adults, usually 400mg twice each day or 800mg at night for 4 to 8 weeks, depending upon condition. Oesophageal reflux and Z-E syndrome, 400mg 3 times each day and 400mg at night for at least 4 weeks. Children, aged over 12 months, 20 to 30mg per kg of body weight each day in divided doses.

Special Care

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, impaired kidney function. Possibility of malignancy should be excluded before treatment starts. Patients being treated long-term should be monitored.

Possible Drug and Food Interactions

Imipramine, chlordiazepoxide, phenytoin, lignocaine, theophylline, oral anticoagulants, morphine, diazepam.

Known Side Effects

Dizziness, rash, confusion, diarrhoea, fatigue, occasional reversible liver disorder, abnormal breast enlargement in men. In extremely rare cases, headache, muscle and joint pain, acute pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia (abnormal decline in blood platelets causing bleeding), interstitial nephritis (kidney disorder).