CLINICAL COMPARISON OF CIMETIDINE AND RANITIDINE

Ranitidine is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist that differs structurally from cimetidine. Kinetics, potency and duration of effect in patients with chronic duodenal ulcers were assessed. Ranitidine had an absorption lag time of .apprx. 30 min, an absorption half-life (t1/2) of .apprx. 40 min and an elimination t1/2 of 3 h, all differig little from those of cimetidine. It is 5 times as potent, so that equal doses of ranitidine induce considerably longer suppression of both basal and food-stimulated gastric acid secretion than does cimetidine.