pepcid ac

What is Pepcid Ac?

From the FDA label: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 food and beverages

How to use

Warnings

How long does Famotidine stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of famotidine is 2.5 to 3.5 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the elimination half-life stated in §12.3 of the FDA label for adults with normal organ function; the label reports a single elimination half-life and does not separate a distribution from a terminal phase. Famotidine is not a prodrug, and it has no active metabolite that outlasts it — the label says the only metabolite identified in humans is the S-oxide, and famotidine undergoes minimal first-pass metabolism, with 25-30% of an oral dose recovered in urine unchanged. Kidney impairment: famotidine is cleared mostly by the kidneys (65-70% renal), and clearance falls in kidney impairment, so the drug lingers longer. The current label quantifies this as exposure rather than half-life — AUC increases at least 2-fold with moderate impairment (creatinine clearance 30-60 mL/min) and at least 5-fold with severe impairment (below 30 mL/min) — and it does not state a specific prolonged half-life number, so none is given here. Older adults: the label names no separate half-life, but notes famotidine is substantially excreted by the kidney and that risk of adverse reactions may be greater in elderly patients, particularly those with impaired renal function. Liver impairment: this label states no hepatic pharmacokinetic data and no half-life for liver impairment.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: DailyMed - FAMOTIDINE tablet, film coated (FDA label, revised 11/2021), §12.3 Pharmacokinetics.

Frequently asked questions

What does Pepcid Ac treat?

Pepcid Ac (Famotidine) may be used to treat duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, peptic esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux, heartburn, stomach ulcer, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How is Pepcid Ac rated?

pharmaranks gives Pepcid Ac a composite score of 3.5 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.

How much does Pepcid Ac cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $1.54 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.

Is there a coupon or discount for Pepcid Ac?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Pepcid Ac. To pay less, look for a store-brand version with the same active ingredient (Famotidine), which is typically cheaper, and compare unit prices. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Pepcid Ac?

Pepcid Ac is marketed by Kenvue Brands. You can see Kenvue Brands's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Pepcid Ac a brand-name or generic drug?

Pepcid Ac is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Famotidine. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Famotidine are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Pepcid Ac available over the counter?

Yes. Pepcid Ac is an over-the-counter (OTC) product — you can buy it without a prescription. Follow the label directions and ask a pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's right for you.

What forms does Pepcid Ac come in?

Pepcid Ac is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Pepcid Ac?

Pepcid Ac is classified as histamine-2 receptor antagonist, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Pepcid Ac FDA-registered?

Pepcid Ac is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA020325. You can verify this on its official FDA label.

Has Pepcid Ac been recalled by the FDA?

Pepcid Ac has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.

Is Pepcid Ac safe?

There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Pepcid Ac a recall-safety score of 70/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.