Last Updated December 20th, 2021
Indications
Rantac is a drug that is popularly used to for treatment of stomach acidity, where its function is to reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach.The histamine-2 blocker as it is classified is manufactured by Jb Chemicals. It is also used to treat similar disorders related to acidity in the stomach such as heartburn and acid reflux disease. Rantac is indicated for the following diseases or conditions:
- Duodenal ulcers
- Gastric ulcers
- GERD or gastroesophagal reflux disease
- Erosive esophagitis
- Zollinger-Ellision Syndrome
- Hypersecretory condition
Chemical composition
The main chemical component is Ranitidine
Mechanism of action
The drug inhibits production of histamine at parietal cells, which results in reduced production of gastric juice and concentration of hydrogen ions.
Dosage
- Take the dose as prescribed by your doctor who is aware of your conditions. In case of an overdose, seek urgent medical attention.
- When mixing with water, ranitidine granules of 150mg should be mixed with 6-8 ounces of water before taking it.
- The drug is also available in 25mg tablet, it should be mixed with 1 teaspoon before taking it.
- If giving a child, use a medicine dropper.
- Use of antacids is recommended for treatment of pain
- Dosage depends on conditions of a patient and whether it is tablet or IV infusion.
- Dosage frequencies of two tablets once or twice daily were considered enough
Typical dosage for dyspepsia
- This depends on whether it is for prevention or treatment. They can be given over the counter.
- To relieve symptoms, take 75mg to 150mg with a glass of water.
- To prevent symptoms, take 75mg to 150mg with a glass of water around 30 to 60 minutes before a meal
- Do not exceed 2 tables daily
- This should not be more than 14 days
Typical dosage for Erosive Esophagitis
- To treat the condition, take 150mg orally up to 4 times daily
- For maintenance dose, take 150mg, twice daily
- For maintenance, this should not be more than 48 weeks
What to do if you missed a dose
Do take it as soon as you remember. If the timeis about the next dose, you should skip the dose and only take the usual dose at the scheduled time. It is important to take medicine at the same time everyday. Never take double dose at any time to compensate for skipped one
Contraindications
Do not take the medicine if you suffer from any of the following conditions.
- Allergy
- Porphyria
Side effects
Common side effects
- Headache
- Nausea, which is sometimes accompanied by vomiting
- Stomachaches
- Muscle pains
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Men may have swollen breasts
Rare/ unknown side effects
These are severe conditions that are associated with the drug. They are experienced by a small population of between 0.1% to 1%. Some of these side effects include:
- Abdominal discomfort or pain
- Constipation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Mental confusion
- Difficulties in breathing
- Dizziness
- Gynecomastia
Very rare side effects
These are hardly experienced and populations of less than 0.01% experienced it. These are:
- Acute pancreatitis
- Diarrhea
These may be rare but are not serious, they are easily treatedand relief realized.
Cardiovascular:
These are other rare side effects that affect less than 0.01% to 0.1% of the population. These side effects include:
- Hypotension,
- Chestpain,
- Arrhythmia,
- Bradycardia,
- Atrioventricular block,
- Tachycardia,
- Premature ventricular beats
Other very rare side effects include:
- Asystole
- Vasculitis
For mental sicknesses, there are others that are very rare but have been noted to some people. Reported cases are between 0.01% to 0.1% of users. These side effects include:
- Insomnia
- Reversible mental confusion
- Agitation
- Depression
- Hallucination
- Loss of libido has been reported but frequency for occurrence has not been reported.
Nervous systems
Headache or severe headache is a side effect that is associated with Rantac 150mg treatment. This is also rare and affects less than 0.01% of users.
Other rare side effects, reported in 0.01% to 0.1% of population include:
- Dizziness
- Somnolence
- Vertigo
- Reversible involuntary movement disorders
Dermatologic
Side effects related to the skin. They are also rare and frequencies reported has been between 0.01% to 0.1%. These conditions include:
- Urticaria,
- Angioneurotic edema
- Skin rash
Other very rare side effects(less than 0.01%) affecting the skin include the following:
- Erythema
- Multiforme
- Alopecia
Musculoskeletal
Very rare side effects, with frequencies of less than 0.01% of the population have reported these side effects, that include:
- Musculoskeletal symptoms
- Arthralgia,
- Myalgia
Hepatic
These are side effects that are related to the functioning of the liver. They include the following:
Rare side effects with the frequency of between 0.01% and 0.1% include:
- Transient and reversible changes in liver function tests
- Increased ALT levels. These were twice the level of pretreatment in patients that were given high doses of IV for a period of 5 days
Very rare side effects with a frequency of less than 0.01% include:
- Hepatocellular/hepatocanalicular/mixed hepatitis with/without jaundice. This was however reversible
Other side effects that were rare include:
- Fever and
- Malaise
Hypersensitivity
There are very rare reaction s associated with Rantac.
Very rare or less than 0.01% include:
Anaphylactic shock/anaphylaxis. These were noted when patients were administered to a single dose of this drug.
Renal
Reactions affecting the kidney were reported.
- Rare cases of between 0.01% to 0.1% of increased levels of serum creatinine were noted. This is however a slight reaction which normalized with progress of treatment.
- Acute interstitial nephritis was a very rare case that was reported
Respiratory
Bronchospasm was noted as a rare reaction, affecting approximately 0.01% to 0.1%.
Frequency for dyspnea, pneumonia has not been reported, implying they are extremely rare.
Ocular
Some small populations, 0.01% to 0.1% have blurred vision. This is a reversible condition.
Hematologic
Some of the associated illnesses include:
- Blood count changes,
- Leukopenia,
- Thrombocytopenia
- Granulocytopenia
- Agranulocytosis
- Pancytopenia
- Marrow hypoplasia/aplasia
Genitourinary
- Reversible cases of impotence
- Breast conditions and symptoms
- Galactorrhea
Interactions
These are reactions that result from the consumption of the drug. The reactions can be either with disease, drugs or foods.
- Medicine (moderate reaction)
- Ketoconazole (severe reaction)
- Loperamide (severe reaction)
- Metformin (moderate reaction)
- Atazanavir (severe reaction)
- Dasatinib (severe reaction)
- Pazopanib (severe reaction)
Disease
Avoid or seek medical advise f you suffer from the following medical conditions:
Gastro-intestinal bleeding:
Patients that have problems with stomach lining bleeding may have this condition worsening if they take this drug. They should inform a doctor to find a replacement for the identified conditions
Liver disease:
There is is a likely of patients with liver disease interacting with the drug adversely.
Precautions
- Rantac 150mg has an increased risk of succumbing to pneumonia. Patient taking this drug should watch out for key symptoms such as chains pains, fever, coughing of slimy green snort, difficulties in breathing among others.
- People with health problems such as liver, kidney, and porphyria should watch out, seek medical advice before taking Rantac 150 mg.
- You should inform your doctor if you are pregnant although there is no evidence of Rantac150 mg harming an unborn child
- Rantac 150mg can pass to breast milk.
- Read all instructions enclosed in the package. There could be updated information that may be necessary. Also, follow all specific instructions from the doctor before taking the drug.
- Once opened from the blister package, you should consume it immediately
- The drug should be swallowed and not crushed or chewed. The effervescent drug should also not dissolve in your mouth. It is designed to dissolve and release slowly in the stomach.
- Always consult a gastroenterologist before taking Rantac 150 mg.
- Do not continue with Rantac 150mg to treat chronic heartburns that last more than 3 months. They may be symptoms of another disease that needs urgent medical attention. If you must take it there might be a need for dosage adjustments
- It has been shown that the drug may interfere with the absorption of Vitamin B12 if Rantac 150mg is consumed over the long term. Avoid long term use of the drug and continue only after consulting a doctor aware of your conditions. Adjustments may be done on dosage and diet may be done.
- Patients with kidney disease should be careful when taking this drug. This is because of an increased risk of worsening of symptoms of the disease. Again, adjustments may be needed and the kidney may need close monitoring when taking this drug.
- Phenylketonuria: Some drugs contain phenylalanine, which may be more harmful to patients already having this condition. A patient should inform a pharmacist or doctor before taking the medicine for further advise on what should be done in such a case.
- Be cautious when using this drug to avoid tobacco or any other substances containing nicotine.
- Pediatric use should be guided by a doctor. There is an increased risk of severe side effects to children using this drug. A doctor should be informed using this medication and discussion be done to weigh risks against benefits of using this drug.
- It is recommended to use this drug before taking this drug.
- Always seek medical attention before taking this drug. There are cases when chest pains are confused with heart problems. Further diagnosis should be done to identify a medical problem. You should particularly be keen when you notice symptoms such as heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating and feeling generally weak or ill.
Substitutes
These are drugs with the same composition, form, and strength and therefore can replace the drug for any reason. The list is given below but it is not comprehensive.
Aciloc 150 MG Tablet
Antec 150 MG Tablet
H2Loc 150 MG Tablet
Ranitidine (Zydus) 150 mg Tablet
Peploc 150 MG Tablet
Notes and recommendations
- The effects of the drug have been noted at least an hour after oral ingestion and 30 minutes after injection.
- Effects of the drug are known to last between 4 and 6 hours after administration
- The drug is safe to use and effects of habit-forming have not been noticed
- Interaction of Rantac with alcohol is not known. It is better to consult a doctor before consumption of alcohol if you are taking this drug.
- This drug does not cause sleepiness. There is no risk of affecting daily routine of a user when taking.
- The due is approved for use in several major markets such as USA, Japan, EU region and UK.
- It is classified under Schedule H of drugs.
- You may take antacid alongside this drug.
- Some times this drug may take up to 8 weeks before ulcer symptoms clear away. If symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks, inform your doctor for further guidance.
- If you experience any unusual effects, you should inform your doctor immediately.
- The drugs should be stored at room temperature and this should be away from reach of pets or children. Also, the drug should be stored away of moisture, heat and light.
- Certain medical tests can be interfered when taking Rantac 150mg.
- For use of duodenal ulcers, use the drug for short terms only. For maintenance of healed duodenal ulcers, this period can be up to one year
- Avoid smoking, it can reduce speed and time of healing of duodenal ulcers
- Cancer of the stomachand heartburn can have similar symptoms. Seek medical adviceto be certain of your condition. Always seek medical advice if symptoms persist.
- There is no effect of food absorption of Rantac drugs. It usually takes 2-3 hours for absorption to reach peak for relief of GERD symptoms.
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