Facts About Histamine H2 Antagonists

If you have ever had an ulcer in the intestines, stomach, or severe acid reflux, you have probably heard of Histamine H2 Antagonists, or H2 blockers, which can be prescribed for you from your doctor. This class of medication will usually go by the more commercially known names of Pepcid, Axid, Tagament, and Zantac to name a few. The clinical names are Cimetidine, Ranitidine, Famotidine, and Nizatidine. These drugs selectively bind together, but do not activate the histamine H2 receptors. Their main effect is to stop or slow the secretion of gastric acid. There have been strong effects noted in the central nervous system as well, but those effects are being studied further since they are not fully understood yet.

The first of these medications to be put onto the market was Cimetidine, then Ranitidine, and followed by Famotidine and Nizatidine. Some of the more common uses of these drugs are preventative measures to ailments such as the recurrence of duodenal ulcers, which occur in the first part of the small intestine; stomach or gastric ulcers; or to increased acid secretion as with Zollinger Ellison Syndrome. They are also used to treat the erosive effects of Acid Reflux Disease where stomach acid backs up into the food pipe, causing heartburn. Some over-the-counter uses are the treatment or prevention of heartburn, acid indigestion and sour stomach.

While medicines are usually approved to be marketed for specific uses, there are many times the same medicine is found to be useful in treating other problems as well. Such has been the case with H2 blockers. Although not printed out on the packaging label, these medications can be used in various patients who suffer from damage to the stomach or to the intestines because of stress or trauma. There is also the possible treatment of Hives and Pancreatic problems. These medications may also work to treat ulcers in the stomach caused from damage to patients when they are using medication to treat rheumatoid arthritis.