Ma K W, Brown D C, Masler D S, Silvis S E
Gastroenterology. 1978 Feb;74(2 Pt 2):473-7.
Serial blood samples for determination of drug levels were obtained after intravenous administration of 300 mg of cimetidine. Sixteen patients with varying degrees of renal failure were studied. There was a prolongation of drug half-life in patients with renal insufficiency compared with that in normal controls (P less than 0.001). A significant inverse relationship between the half-life and the creatinine clearance was noted (r= 0.69; P less than 0.01). The effect of hemodialysis was studied in 12 patients. Cimetidine was found to be dialyzable. This was demonstrated both by a shortening of the half-life of the drug during dialysis and by measurement of dialysance. This suggests that the dose schedule should be modified for patients with renal insufficiency and for those on hemodialysis. A single intraveno us dose of cimetidine was well tolerated by the patients. One patient developed an urticarial skin rash, believed to be allergic in nature. There was a transient, mild (but significant) rise in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine concentration in 5 patients with moderate renal failure.
