Safety perspectives on parenteral H2-receptor antagonists.

Much controversy has been associated with the similarities and differences among the histamine (H2)-receptor antagonists with respect to safety. The safety issues, including those recently identified with the use of parenteral H2-receptor antagonists, are analyzed here with the intent of placing these data into proper perspective. The focus of the analysis is on a few of the more important issues: central nervous system effects and clinically significant drug interactions. A review of the voluminous safety literature on these agents indicates that, as a class, they have enviable safety records. When individual agents are compared, some small differences in safety profiles emerge, but, on the whole, similarities are more striking.