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Ranitidine: 7 things you should know

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 16, 2024.

1. How it works

2. Upsides

3. Downsides

If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include:

Note: In general, seniors or children, people with certain medical conditions (such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, seizures) or people who take other medications are more at risk of developing a wider range of side effects. View complete list of side effects

4. Bottom Line

Ranitidine was an acid-suppressing agent that was used to treat a wide range of gastric-acid-related disorders, including gastric ulcers, heartburn, and GERD. Headaches were the most common side effect. Ranitidine was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2020 because of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) contaminants. NDMA is a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer).

5. Tips

6. Response and effectiveness

7. Interactions

Medicines that interact with ranitidine may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with ranitidine. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed.

Common medications that may interact with ranitidine include:

Note that this list is not all-inclusive and includes only common medications that may interact with ranitidine. You should refer to the prescribing information for ranitidine for a complete list of interactions.

Ranitidine is no longer available in the United States.

References

Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use ranitidine only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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