Famotidine

In gastroenterology, famotidine is a competitive Histamine H2 antagonist. Its main pharmacodynamic effect is the inhibition of gastric secretion.

History
Pepcid brand of famotidine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. It is available as a generic, and also in over-the-counter forms.

Administration
It is most commonly administered orally, as a tablet or suspension. An intravenous preparation is approved for hospitalized patients.

Toxicity
Drug toxicity includes

Veterinary medicine
Famotidine is useful for gastrointestinal irritation in cats. It is most commonly administered as a tablet, always a challenge in cats. For human use, oral suspensions are approved, but before use in cats, the "inert ingredients" must be checked to ensure that the preparation does not contain xylitol or other sugar alcohols as sweeteners. These are toxic in cats, and cats, in any event, cannot taste sweetness.

The parenteral preparation may also be administered subcutaneously, which may well be less stressful, for home care, both to cat and human.