ranitidine
Ranitidine is an H2 blocker that reduces the amount of acid the stomach produces. It's used to treat conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ulcers. It was recalled in 2020 due to safety concerns about a chemical impurity, but it has since been reformulated and is now back on the market. Your dose depends on why you’re taking it, but it’s usually taken by mouth one to four times a day. Side effects include headache, dizziness, and feeling tired.
What is Ranitidine?
What is Ranitidine used for?
- Stomach ulcer
- Intestinal ulcer
- Heartburn (GERD)
- Erosive esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) due to GERD
- Other high-acid conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome or mastocytosis)
How Ranitidine works
Ranitidine is a histamine-2 (H2) antagonist. It works by lowering the amount of stomach acid made by certain cells in your stomach lining. By reducing acid, this medication helps relieve heartburn and gives ulcers or irritated areas time to heal.
Drug facts
Side effects of Ranitidine
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
Less Common Side Effects
- Trouble sleeping
- Blurred vision
- Change in heart rate
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Rash
Ranitidine serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious allergic reaction: hives, swelling in the face or throat, trouble breathing
The following Ranitidine side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Abdominal pain
back, leg, or stomach pain
bleeding or crusting sores on lips
blistering, burning, redness, scaling, or tenderness of skin
blisters on palms of hands and soles of feet
changes in vision or blurred vision
confusion
coughing or difficulty in swallowing
dark-colored urine
dizziness
fainting
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
fever and/or chills
flu-like symptoms
general feeling of discomfort or illness
inflammation of blood vessels
joint pain
light-colored stools
mood or mental changes, including anxiety, agitation, confusion, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there), mental depression, nervousness, or severe mental illness
muscle cramps or aches
nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
peeling or sloughing of skin
red or irritated eyes
shortness of breath
skin rash or itching
slow heartbeat
sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips, in mouth, or on genitals
sudden difficult breathing
swelling of face, lips, mouth, tongue, or eyelids
swelling of hands or feet
swollen or painful glands
tightness in chest
troubled breathing
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
unusually slow or irregular breathing
yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common or rare
decrease in sexual desire
decreased sexual ability (especially in patients with Zollinger-Ellison disease who have received high doses of cimetidine for at least 1 year)
difficult urination
dizziness
drowsiness
dryness of mouth or skin
headache
increased or decreased urination
increased sweating
loss of hair
ringing or buzzing in ears
swelling of breasts or breast soreness in females and males
trouble in sleeping
Not all of the side effects listed above have been reported for each of these medicines, but they have been reported for at least one of them. All of the H2-blockers are similar, so any of the above side effects may occur with any of these medicines.
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Ranitidine
Pros
- Reduces stomach acid for ulcers and GERD
- Can be used in adults and children
- Works pretty quickly, within hours for GERD
Cons
- Might need to take multiple times a day
- Interacts with many medications
- Not as strong as PPIs for severe symptoms
Pharmacist tips for Ranitidine
- You can take ranitidine with or without food.
- If ranitidine alone isn't providing you with enough heartburn relief, ask your prescriber about also taking an antacid for better relief.
- Tell your prescriber if you have a history of porphyria because ranitidine can make the condition worse.
- Ranitidine can interact with many medications, especially ones that need stomach acid to work well. Tell your care team about all of the medications you're taking. Don't start any new medications without talking to your care team first so they can help you check for interactions.
- Store ranitidine tablets in its original bottle and protect them from moisture. Make sure to leave the desiccant in the bottle and close the bottle right after removing a tablet with dry fingers.
- Open only one bottle of ranitidine at a time. Throw it away after 90 days or by the expiration date, whichever comes first.
Common questions about Ranitidine
Yes. Reformulated ranitidine has been approved by the FDA to return to the market. This comes after a 2020 recall of all ranitidine products due to concerns about an impurity called NDMA. NDMA is a chemical that might cause cancer. The version available now has gone through safety testing and manufacturing changes to address those NDMA concerns.
Ranitidine is available at pharmacies with a prescription from a healthcare professional. Before taking your prescription to the pharmacy, it's a good idea to call ahead to make sure they have the medication in stock.
Ranitidine can be taken at any time of day, but your prescriber might recommend that you take it at night. Taking it at bedtime can work better for some people who have symptoms at night. Follow your prescriber’s instructions, and ask them if you’re unsure about the best time to take it.
No, ranitidine isn't a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). It's an H2 blocker. Both types of medications reduce stomach acid, but they work differently and can have different side effects. Speak to your prescriber about which option is the best for your condition.
No, famotidine isn't the same as ranitidine. Both are H2 blockers and treat similar stomach problems, but they're different medications. Famotidine comes as tablets and liquid, while ranitidine only comes as tablets. Additionally, some strengths of famotidine are available over the counter. Follow up with your prescriber if you have questions comparing these medications.
Yes, it's possible to take antacids like calcium carbonate (Tums) to help relieve heartburn and indigestion while taking ranitidine. Check with your prescriber for specific advice on which antacids are best for you and how to take them safely.
There isn't enough information to know if ranitidine is safe to take during pregnancy. Limited studies haven’t shown a higher risk of birth defects when an H2 blocker like ranitidine is taken early in pregnancy, but you should always ask your prescriber first. They can help you choose the safest option and may suggest trying an antacid before using this medication.
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Risks and warnings for Ranitidine
Ranitidine can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk of hiding symptoms of a more serious problem
Frequent episodes of heartburn can be a sign of stomach cancer. If your heartburn gets worse or comes back after taking ranitidine, let your prescriber know. Also contact them if you have a poor appetite, unexplained weight loss, or weakness along with heartburn, so they can check for other serious health problems.
Medication interactions
Ranitidine lowers the amount of acid in your stomach, which can change how some medications are absorbed and affect how they work. Examples include atazanavir, ketoconazole, glipizide, and triazolam.
Ranitidine also can interact with the blood thinner warfarin, so your prescriber might need to check your bloodwork more often. Always talk to your prescriber before taking ranitidine with other medications.
Allergic reactions
- Risk factors: History of allergy to FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine)
Ranitidine tablets might contain a dye called FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine). Although rare, some people can have an allergic reaction to this ingredient. If you have hives, itching, or other signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical attention.
Ranitidine dosage
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150mg | 60 tablets | $18.16 | $0.30 |
| 300mg of | 20 tablets | $10.49 | $0.52 |
Typical dosage for Ranitidine
- Stomach ulcer:
- Adults: The typical dose is 150 mg by mouth twice a day. Your prescriber might lower the dose to 150 mg every night at bedtime to keep healing the ulcer.
- Children: The typical dose is 2 mg/kg to 4 mg/kg of body weight by mouth twice a day, up to a maximum of 300 mg per day. To maintain healing, their dose might be lowered to a maximum of 150 mg per day.
- Intestinal ulcer:
- Adults: The typical dose is 150 mg by mouth twice a day, or 300 mg once a day after dinner or at bedtime. Your prescriber might lower the dose to 150 mg at bedtime to maintain healing.
- Children: The typical dose is 2 mg/kg to 4 mg/kg of body weight by mouth twice a day, up to a maximum of 300 mg per day. To maintain healing, their dose might be lowered to a maximum of 150 mg per day.
- GERD:
- Adults: The typical dose is 150 mg by mouth twice a day.
- Children: The typical dose is 5 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg of body weight by mouth per day, split up into two equal doses.
- Erosive esophagitis:
- Adults: The typical dose is 150 mg by mouth 4 times a day.
- Children: The typical dose is 5 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg of body weight by mouth per day, split up into two equal doses.
- Other high-acid conditions:
- Adults: The typical starting dose is 150 mg by mouth twice a day. Your prescriber might raise your dose based on how you respond.
Your dose might differ if you have kidney problems.
Interactions between Ranitidine and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking any of these medicines, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Bepridil
- Cisapride
- Dofetilide
- Dronedarone
- Mesoridazine
- Pimozide
- Piperaquine
- Saquinavir
- Sparfloxacin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Ziprasidone
Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acalabrutinib
- Alfentanil
- Alosetron
- Alprazolam
- Amiodarone
- Amisulpride
- Amprenavir
- Anagrelide
- Apomorphine
- Aripiprazole
- Aripiprazole Lauroxil
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Atazanavir
- Benzhydrocodone
- Buprenorphine
- Bupropion
- Buserelin
- Capecitabine
- Carmustine
- Ceritinib
- Chloroquine
- Citalopram
- Clarithromycin
- Clofazimine
- Clopidogrel
- Clozapine
- Codeine
- Crizotinib
- Dabrafenib
- Dasatinib
- Degarelix
- Delamanid
- Delavirdine
- Deslorelin
- Deutetrabenazine
- Dihydrocodeine
- Domperidone
- Donepezil
- Doxifluridine
- Duloxetine
- Efavirenz
- Eliglustat
- Encorafenib
- Entrectinib
- Erlotinib
- Escitalopram
- Fentanyl
- Fingolimod
- Fluconazole
- Fluorouracil
- Fluoxetine
- Formoterol
- Fosamprenavir
- Foscarnet
- Fostemsavir
- Gefitinib
- Glasdegib
- Gonadorelin
- Goserelin
- Histrelin
- Hydrocodone
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Hydroxyzine
- Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
- Ivabradine
- Ivosidenib
- Ketoconazole
- Ledipasvir
- Lefamulin
- Lemborexant
- Lenvatinib
- Levofloxacin
- Lofexidine
- Macimorelin
- Meperidine
- Methadone
- Metronidazole
- Mirtazapine
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Moxifloxacin
- Nafarelin
- Neratinib
- Octreotide
- Ondansetron
- Osilodrostat
- Osimertinib
- Oxaliplatin
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Ozanimod
- Panobinostat
- Pasireotide
- Pazopanib
- Pentazocine
- Pimavanserin
- Piperaquine
- Pitolisant
- Ponesimod
- Posaconazole
- Quetiapine
- Ribociclib
- Rilpivirine
- Secretin Human
- Selpercatinib
- Sertraline
- Sevoflurane
- Siponimod
- Solifenacin
- Sotalol
- Sufentanil
- Sulpiride
- Sunitinib
- Tacrolimus
- Tegafur
- Theophylline
- Tizanidine
- Tolazoline
- Tramadol
- Trazodone
- Triclabendazole
- Triptorelin
- Ubrogepant
- Vandetanib
- Vemurafenib
- Vinflunine
- Vismodegib
- Voclosporin
- Zalcitabine
- Zuclopenthixol
How much does Ranitidine cost?
$10.49
What are alternatives to Ranitidine?
