How it is administered

Famotidine is available as oral tablets in strengths of 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. It is usually taken by mouth with a glass of water. Tablets should not be chewed. Famotidine may also be available in other forms, such as oral suspension or intravenous injection, but tablets are most common for home use.

The medication can be taken with or without food. For certain conditions, it is recommended to take famotidine once daily at bedtime, or twice daily in the morning and at bedtime, as directed by your healthcare provider.

How it works

Famotidine works by blocking histamine-2 (H₂) receptors in the stomach. Histamine is a chemical in the body that stimulates the stomach to produce acid. By blocking these receptors, famotidine reduces the amount and acidity of gastric (stomach) acid produced.

This reduction in stomach acid can help relieve symptoms such as heartburn, indigestion, and stomach pain. For people with conditions that cause the stomach to make too much acid, such as pathological hypersecretory conditions (which can be seen in some blood cancers and systemic mastocytosis), famotidine helps control acid levels and related symptoms.

Who Should take it

Famotidine is indicated for adults and children (weighing 40 kg or more) for the treatment of:

• Active duodenal ulcer
• Active gastric ulcer
• Symptomatic nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Erosive esophagitis due to GERD

In adults, it is also used for the treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and multiple endocrine neoplasias. These conditions can sometimes be associated with blood cancers or systemic mastocytosis, where the body produces too much stomach acid.

Famotidine can also be used to reduce the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence.

Who should not take it

Famotidine should not be used by anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis) to famotidine or other H₂ receptor antagonists.

People with trouble or pain swallowing food, vomiting with blood, or bloody or black stools should not use famotidine without first consulting a doctor, as these may be signs of a more serious condition.

It should be used with caution in people with kidney disease, and dosage adjustments may be necessary for those with moderate to severe renal impairment. Famotidine is not recommended for pediatric patients weighing less than 40 kg in tablet form due to dosing limitations.

Commonly used with

Famotidine may be used with antacids to relieve symptoms. It is sometimes used alongside other medications for stomach protection in patients taking certain cancer treatments or steroids that can irritate the stomach lining.

Commonly tested with

Famotidine has been tested with other acid-reducing medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other H₂ blockers, for comparison in clinical studies. It may also be evaluated with medications that are affected by stomach acid levels, such as certain antifungals or HIV medications.