The absorption of cimetidine before and during maintenance treatment with cimetidine and the influence of a meal on the absorption of cimetidine--studies in patients with peptic ulcer disease.

1 The absorption of a single oral dose of cimetidine taken on a fasting stomach or together with a meal was studied in 28 patients before and during 12 weeks treatment with cimetidine. 2 No significant changes in bioavailability were seen during treatment measured as the area under the blood concentration curve (AUC). 3 AUC after a single dose of 400 mg cimetidine was 2.05 times the area after a 200 mg dose. 4 There was a good correlation between AUC and the dose of cimetidine given corrected for body weight (r=0.89). 5 There was no difference in bioavailability if 200 mg cimetidine was taken on a fasting stomach or together with a beef steak meal. 6. During fasting conditions there was a peak in blood concentration at about one hour followed by a second unexplained peak during the third to fifth hour after dose administration. 7 With food the initial rise in blood concentrations was slower and there was only one peak occurring about 2 h after dose administration.