Effects of antacids and food on absorption of famotidine

The effect of a high potency antacid and food on the bioavailability of famotidine was studied in 17 healthy volunteers in an open randomized three‐way cross‐over trial. After an overnight fast, famotidine was administered to each subject as follows: 40 mg famotidine orally alone; 40 mg orally with antacid; and 40 mg orally with a standard breakfast. Coadministration of the antacid caused a small but significant reduction in the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of famotidine from 81.1 +/‐ 54.2 to 60.8 +/‐ 21.6 ng ml‐1 (P less than 0.05) and a small decrease in the area under plasma concentration‐time curve [AUC] from 443.3 +/‐ 249.2 to 355.0 +/‐ 125.1 ng ml‐1 h (P greater than 0.05). However, there was only a minimal effect of food on these parameters; the Cmax and [AUC] were 81.6 +/‐ 29.6 ng ml‐1 and 434.8 +/‐ 145.9 ng ml‐ 1 h, respectively.