Famotidine: Pharmacokinetic Properties and Suppression of Acid Secretion in Paediatric Patients Following Cardiac Surgery

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the H 2 -receptor antagonist famotidine have been well described in adult subjects. However, similar data for children are not available. Therefore, this study looked at the disposition of the drug (given to prevent aspiration following cardiac surgery) in 10 paediatric patients with normal kidney function (age range 2 to 7 years, bodyweight 14 to 25 kg) after a single intravenous dose of famotidine 0.3 mg/kg. Plasma concentrations of the drug and gastric pH values were both monitored for 20 hours by high performance liquid chromatography and aspiration of gastric juice, respectively