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Mark Feldman, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1993;153(21):2415-2424.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

THE POTENTIAL availability of histamine₂-receptor antagonists (or H₂ blockers) on an over-the-counter (OTC) basis has raised more questions than we currently have answers for. In this article, I review the mechanism of action and current prescription uses of this family of drugs and consider what we now know about its likely OTC use. After this review of H₂ blockers, I discuss arguments in favor of and against the OTC availability.

In 1977, soon after the development of a family of H₂ blockers by Black, cimetidine became the first H₂ blocker to be marketed in the United States. Cimetidine was initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the acute healing of duodenal ulcer, at a dose of 300 mg four times daily, and for treatment of acid hypersecretory states, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, in which much higher doses than 1200 mg/d were . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Department of Internal Medicine Medical Service (111) Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center 4500 S Lancaster Rd Dallas, Tex

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