Famotidine and anaphylaxis
Famotidine inhibits the action of histamine on stomach cells and reduces the production of stomach acid in ulcers, acid reflux, and heartburn. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center in Ohio evaluated pretreatment with IV diphenhydramine, famotidine, and dexamethasone before paclitaxel chemotherapy in more than 200 patients. They found that only 9% of patients developed hypersensitivity reactions. Researchers concluded that this pretreatment regimen, which was administered 30 minutes prior to paclitaxel therapy, was as effective and more convenient than standard regimens.
In a study comparing cimetidine and famotidine and the effects of paclitaxel, researchers found that cimetidine and famotidine did not differ in the way they affect the use of paclitaxel when used to prevent chemotherapy-induced anaphylaxis.