BOLUS INFUSION OF FAMOTIDINE - EFFECTS ON GASTRIC PH BY REPEATED 12-HOUR DOSES OF 20 MG IN POSTOPERATIVE-PATIENTS

This study was carried out to assess the efficacy of intravenous (IV) famotidine in suppressing gastric secretion over a 48-hour period. Twe nty postoperative patients requiring a nasogastric tube received famot idine 20 mg IV every 12 hours and gastric pH was measured continuously by means of an indwelling probe. A baseline recording was performed o ver the first 4 hours and then the drug was infused every 12 hours (q1 2h) over a 15-minute period for the subsequent 48 hours. The mean pH v alue achieved during each time segment under active treatment was sign ificantly higher (P <.001) than the mean basal value. Also the density distributions of minutes spent at the various pH units confirm that f amotidine is highly effective (P <.001) in raising and maintaining gas tric pH above 4.0 units during most of the drug-related period (44 hou rs). It can be concluded that repeated intravenous boli of famotidine 20 mg every 12 hours allow us to obtain an effective control of intrag astric acidity. The antisecretory action is consistent over the total 48-hour period examined and therefore the use of intermittent infusion of famotidine seems to be advisable, as opposed to the recommended co ntinuous IV administration of cimetidine and ranitidine. There is, how ever, a considerable intersubject variability in the antisecretory res ponse to the drug.