Misuse of Cimetidine

Abstract

To the Editor: Cimetidine is a histamine H₂-receptor antagonist with demonstrated efficacy in duodenal ulcer, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and the gastrointestinal sequelae of systemic mastocy-tosis.^{1 2 3 4} Its effects on gastric ulcer and hemorrhagic gastritis and its use as prophylaxis in patients who are prone to gastrointestinal bleeding are less clear, and the use of cimetidine in such cases is not approved by the FDA.^{1 , 5 , 6} We audited the use of cimetidine in 38 patients on our general internal-medicine service (excluding use in the intensive-care unit and coronary-care unit) with liberal criteria for justification of use. We found that the drug was . . .