Generic name:ranitidine [ ra-NI-ti-deen ]
Drug class:H2 antagonists
What is Zantac?
Zantac belongs to a group of drugs called histamine-2 blockers. It works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces.
Zantac has been used to treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines. It also was used to treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome..
Zantac was also used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other conditions in which acid backs up from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
A cancer-causing impurity found in many ranitidine medications may increase to unacceptable levels over time and when ranitidine is stored at high temperatures. As a result, the FDA has asked all makers of ranitidine to withdraw this medicine from the market in the United States.
Warnings
Zantac has been withdrawn from the market in the United States. Some of the contents of this leaflet are preserved for historical purposes only.
Using Zantac may increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain, fever, feeling short of breath, and coughing up green or yellow mucus. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing pneumonia.
Do not use Zantac if you are allergic to ranitidine.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or porphyria.
Heartburn is often confused with the first symptoms of a heart attack. Seek emergency medical attention if you have chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, and a general ill feeling.
