Cimetidine dynamics after single intravenous doses

Abstract

Cimetidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, is widely used in the treatment of patients with peptic ulcer disease. Cimetidine dynamics were studied in 9 multiple-trauma patients. Mean elimination half-life was 2.27 h, mean volume of the central compartment was 0.29 l/kg, mean volume at steady state averaged 0.90 l/kg and mean total body clearance was 9.02 ml/min per kg. After i.v. cimetidine, drug concentrated in gastric fluid reached a peak concentration in 3 h. Gastric plasma cimetidine ratios after equilibration ranged between 3.0 and 4.3. There was a correlation between cimetidine gastric juice concentration and gastric pH (r = 0.50), but no correlation was found between plasma cimetidine concentration and pH (r = 0.13).