Ranitidine was developed to prevent high acid content in the Gastrointestinal tract from leading to diseases and wounds such as heartburn, ulcers, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in the digestive organs of the body. It is used clinically to decrease gastric acid secretion and treat heartburns and ulcers. It also antagonizes histamine receptors, which helps to cure GERD.
In April 2020, the United States ordered the withdrawal of Ranitidine from the market because it was realized that a cancer-causing element (N-Nitrosodimethylamine) was present in many ranitidine medicines which may multiply to an uncontrollable amount over time, and if the drugs are kept at high temperatures. This led to the increase in the production of alternatives to ranitidine.
Alternatives to Ranitidine
Histamine-2 receptor blockers are becoming increasingly scarce, so companies are releasing other drugs to take its place. These substitutes include: Ranitidine is the most common and easily available histamine-2 receptor blocker, but there are other drugs that can take its place in the market. ..
Famotidine
Famotidine is a histamine-2 receptor inhibitor that is prescribed by Physicians for the treatment of ulcers in the digestive organs, gastroesophageal reflux, heartburn, and also Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It acts by decreasing the amount of gastric acid produced in the stomach. Famotidine is a safer drug to use as the cancer-causing contaminant found in Ranitidine is absent in it. Studies have also shown that Famotidine is more potent than Ranitidine and Cimetidine and similar to ranitidine, Famotidine lacks anti-androgenic side effects at higher dosages or blocks the hepatic breakdown of drugs. Due to this, and also its high anti-secretory potency, Famotidine may be the predominant choice of physicians in treating the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Side Effects of Famotidine
Famotidine, a histamine H-2 receptor blocker, has several side effects that can be harmful to the body. These include dizziness, diarrhea, and constipation. When combined with other medications, Famotidine can increase the risk of QT-prolongation.
Cimetidine is a histamine receptor antagonist that was discovered in 1971. It was used to treat most ulcers, heartburns, gastroesophageal reflux, and the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It also inhibits the Histamine 2 receptor.
The side effects of cimetidine include constipation, dizziness, and muscle pain which are commonly mild, adverse side effects may include mental confusion in elderly people, and because of its hormonal effects, it can lead to sexual dysfunction in both males and females specifically erectile dysfunction and loss of libido in males. It can also result in hepatotoxicity but this is rare.
Nizatidine is a medication that prevents peptic ulcers, heartburns, duodenal ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux by blocking histamine-2 receptors. Eli Lilly developed it in 1980 and received FDA approval for clinical use in 1988. Nizatidine is the most recent histamine-2 antagonist to be produced, and it is thought to be interchangeable with Ranitidine. Their chemical design differs in that ranitidine has a Thiazole ring instead of a Furan ring. An experiment was conducted in which healthy volunteers were given 300mg of Ranitidine and 300mg of Nizatidine to compare the effects of both medicines. The outcome revealed that although ranitidine was more effective than Nizatidine in decreasing the secretion of gastric acid, the subjects of the experiment were seen to have tolerance within the 28-days drug administration span. In contrast, Nizatidine showed stable anti-secretory activity over a longer period of time. ..
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Nizatidine is a medication that is used to treat hypertension. It can cause some people to have side effects, such as headache, fatigue, constipation, muscle pains, and drowsiness. However, these side effects are usually mild and short-term.
Some people have reported that taking Ranitidine can cause them to have difficulty sleeping. ..
Ranitidine is a medication that is used to treat heartburn and other conditions. It can cause mild insomnia, which is a problem because it can make it difficult to get enough sleep.
There are a variety of Ranitidine alternatives that can be taken at different times. Some people take it before bed, while others take it in the morning or in the afternoon.
Ranitidine and its alternatives are either administered at bedtime or three times daily, depending on which drug it is and the physician’s prescription. It is sometimes taken 20-30 minutes after the ingestion of meals capable of causing heartburn but it should be noted that Ranitidine and its alternatives shouldn’t be taken without a doctor’s prescription.
If you are taking ranitidine, it is important to check the recall notice from your pharmacy.
The Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) has issued a recall of certain Ranitidine medications due to the potential for serious side effects. Patients who have any of these medications should stop using them and contact their doctor immediately if they experience any symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or swelling of the face, lips, or tongue. ..
Ranitidine was used widely in the treatment of ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome for a long time but it was necessarily withdrawn from the public due to the carcinogenic constituent (N-Nitrosodimethylamine). This was done following the medical ethic which encourages no harm to be done to patients and rather than making a situation worse, it is best to seek alternatives. Patients presently taking ranitidine medication who desire to stop should consult their doctors for alternatives to ranitidine with minimal side effects or other treatment options.
