title: Effects of famotidine and cimetidine on plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine.
abstract: The effects of two H2-receptor antagonists, famotidine and cimetidine, on the plasma levels of epidurally administered lignocaine were studied. Group A (n = 20) received famotidine 20 mg orally the night before surgery and 20 mg intramuscularly 60 minutes before induction of anaesthesia. Group B (n = 15) received cimetidine 200 mg orally the night before the surgery and 400 mg orally 60 minutes before the anaesthetic induction. Group C (n = 20) received neither famotidine nor cimetidine and served as controls. Twelve millilitres of 2.0% lignocaine with adrenaline 1:200,000 was injected into the epidural space in all patients, after the establishment of general anaesthesia with nitrous oxide, oxygen, and enflurane (0.3-0.5%). The patients who received cimetidine showed significantly higher plasma concentrations of lignocaine compared with either group A or group C at all investigation times (p less than 0.01). The mean peak plasma concentrations were 2.4 (SEM 0.1), 3.2 (SEM 0.2) and 2.3 (SEM 0.1) micrograms/ml in group A, B, and C, respectively. This study suggests that famotidine is preferable to cimetidine for control of gastric acidity before the use of lignocaine as the epidural anaesthetic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Sapporo Medical College and Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishikawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Namiki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saitoh
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015738:Famotidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015738:Famotidine; D002927:Cimetidine; D008012:Lidocaine