PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Hall, K. W.
AU  - Behun, M.
AU  - Irvine-Meek, J.
AU  - Otten, N.
TI  - Use of cimetidine in hospital patients
DP  - 1981 Jun 15
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 1579--1585
VI  - 124
IP  - 12
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/124/12/1579.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/124/12/1579.full
SO  - CMAJ1981 Jun 15; 124
AB  - The use of cimetidine in 137 patients in a large Canadian teaching hospital was assessed prospectively. About 80% of the patients received the drug for treatment and 20% received it for prophylaxis. All of the prophylactic indications as well as some of the treatment indications have not been approved by the health protection branch of the Department of National Health and Welfare, nor do most have adequate literature documentation. The duration of therapy varied from less than 3 days to more than 2 months. The average cost of cimetidine therapy was $40.71. The dosage was not adjusted in over 50% of the patients in whom impairment of renal function was serious enough to warrant consideration of a dosage reduction. Approximately half of the patients received concurrent antacid therapy. Although cimetidine is relatively safe, its use in this institution was less than optimal.