Acid Reducer Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Acid Reducer Tablet contains ranitidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist (H2 blocker) available over the counter. It works by lowering the amount of acid the stomach produces, helping to relieve and prevent heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour or upset stomach caused by excess stomach acid. It can control stomach acid for up to 12 hours and is available as a film-coated tablet.

What is Acid Reducer Tablet

Acid Reducer is an over-the-counter tablet containing ranitidine, a medicine that lowers the amount of acid your stomach makes.

Acid Reducer Tablet uses

• Relieves heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach
• Prevents heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach brought on by eating or drinking certain foods and beverages
• Treats and prevents the burning and discomfort of acid indigestion (dyspepsia), heartburn, hyperacidity, sour stomach, and upset stomach caused by too much stomach acid

Benefits of Acid Reducer Tablet

• Provides fast relief of heartburn symptoms, day or night
• Can prevent heartburn when taken before eating trigger foods or drinks
• Controls stomach acid for up to 12 hours, unlike antacids which only neutralize acid already present

How Acid Reducer Tablet works

Ranitidine blocks histamine at receptors in the stomach, which reduces how much acid the stomach produces and secretes.

Acid Reducer Tablet dosage

Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. To relieve symptoms, take a tablet when symptoms appear, day or night. To prevent symptoms, take a tablet 30 to 60 minutes before eating food or drinking beverages that usually cause heartburn. This medicine can be used up to twice daily. Do not take antacids within 30 minutes to 1 hour of taking this medicine.

Children under 12 (or under 16, depending on product) should only use this medicine under a doctor's supervision. No special dose change is needed for elderly people, but they should be supervised by a doctor given other health conditions.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet (film coated)

Side effects of Acid Reducer Tablet

Common

• Headache, sometimes severe
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal discomfort or pain
• Dry mouth

Serious

• Hepatitis or liver failure (yellowing of skin/eyes, dark urine, pale stools, nausea, pain under right ribs)
• Acute interstitial nephritis (kidney inflammation)
• Blood cell problems such as anemia, low white blood cells, or low platelets
• Severe allergic reaction (hives, swelling of face or mouth, difficulty breathing, wheezing, fainting)
• Serious skin reactions (blistering rash)
• Irregular, fast, or slow heartbeat
• Confusion, hallucinations, depression, or agitation, mainly in elderly or very ill patients
• Vertigo, meningitis, or involuntary movement disorders

Warnings and precautions

• Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to ranitidine or other acid reducers.
• Do not use this medicine together with other acid reducers.
• Ask a doctor before use if you have frequent chest pain, frequent wheezing (especially with heartburn), unexplained weight loss, nausea or vomiting, or stomach pain.
• Ask a doctor before use if you've had heartburn for more than 3 months, as this could be a sign of a more serious condition.
• Taking this medicine may hide symptoms of stomach cancer and delay diagnosis, so tell your doctor about swallowing problems, choking, or ongoing stomach discomfort.
• This medicine should be avoided by people with a history of porphyria, a rare blood disorder, since it may trigger an attack.
• Do not take antacids within 30 to 60 minutes of taking this medicine, as it can reduce how well the medicine is absorbed.
• The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been fully established. If you are pregnant, talk to a health professional before use, since the potential benefits must be weighed against possible risks.
• It's best to avoid this medicine while breastfeeding, since small amounts pass into breast milk and long-term effects on infants aren't known.
• People with severe kidney problems should only use this medicine under a doctor's supervision, since the body clears the drug more slowly and levels can build up.
• People with severe liver problems, especially combined with kidney problems, may need a lower dose and should use this medicine under medical supervision.
• Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol with this medicine is unlikely to cause a meaningful interaction with how alcohol is processed by the body.
• If this medicine makes you dizzy, drowsy, or gives you vertigo, avoid driving or operating machinery or doing tasks that require alertness.

Storage

• Store at 20° - 25°C (68° - 77°F)
• Avoid excessive heat or humidity
• Store between 15°C and 30°C
• Protect from light, excessive heat and moisture
• Keep out of reach and sight of children
• Keep the carton; it contains important information
• Do not use if the carton or printed foil under the cap is open or torn

When to see a doctor

• Stop use and see a doctor right away if you have trouble or pain swallowing food, vomiting with blood, or bloody or black stools, as these may be signs of a serious condition.
• Stop use and ask a doctor if you have heartburn along with lightheadedness, sweating, or dizziness.
• Stop use and seek medical help right away for chest or shoulder pain with shortness of breath, sweating, or pain spreading to the arms, neck, or shoulders, along with lightheadedness, as these may signal a heart problem.
• Stop use and ask a doctor if your heartburn continues or gets worse, or if you need to take this product for more than 14 days.
• If you think you've taken too much of this medicine, get medical help right away or contact your local poison control center, even if you don't notice any symptoms.
• Seek immediate medical help for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling of the face or mouth, chest pain, trouble breathing, wheezing, or fainting.
• Seek immediate medical help if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or pain under the right ribs, which could mean liver problems.

Alternatives

• Pepcid AC
• Famotidine
• Omeprazole