The effect of haemodialysis on the pharmacokinetics of oral famotidine has been studied in five elderly anuric patients. Famotidine 20 mg was administered in a cross-over design to patients on and not on haemodialysis.
The elimination rate constant of haemodialysis (k) was 4.6-fold larger than the systemic elimination rate constant (ke). Although the mean maximum serum concentration of famotidine during haemodialysis (141.5 ng·ml–1) was not significantly lower than that without haemodialysis (195.6 ng·ml–1), the AUC up to 5 h during haemodialysis was significantly decreased to 58.1% of the value without it.
The data suggest that famotidine is dialysable by haemodialysis.
Key words famotidine - anuric patients - haemodialysis - H2-receptor antagonist - pharmacokinetics