ACUTE EOSINOPHILIC PNEUMONIA ASSOCIATED WITH RANITIDINE

Ranitidine, an H-2-receptor antagonist, is currently used in a wide sp ectrum of gastrointestinal disorders, including short-term treatment o f active duodenal ulcer, benign gastric ulcers, and hypersecretory sta tes. In general, ranitidine is an extremely well-tolerated drug, and v ery few serious side effects have been recorded. Reported adverse effe cts have included the following: headache, rash, fatigue, and diarrhea (1); and rare cases of elevated transaminases (2) and of abnormalitie s of the hematopoietic system such as leukocytosis (3), agranulocytosi s (4), and thrombocytopenia (5), most being accompanied by eosinophili a. We describe the first case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia associat ed with ranitidine therapy.