Patient/caregiver was educated on the precautions to be observed while taking ranitidine as follows:
- Watch closely for development of any allergic reactions to ranitidine, such as, skin rashes, hives, and rashes. Some patients can present with symptoms of anaphylaxis, such as, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, throat, and tongue, with consequent difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical help for such findings, especially with difficulty breathing, for any appropriate measures to be considered.
- Ranitidine is mainly metabolized in the liver and is significantly eliminated in urine, by the kidneys. If liver and kidney functions are deficient, metabolism and excretion of ranitidine could be slowed down, leading to compromised therapeutic benefits, increased risk for side-effects, and toxicity with the medication. So, observe compliance with any regular labs ordered for evaluation of liver and kidney functions.
- Prolonged ranitidine use can result in compromised absorption of magnesium, leading to hypomagnesemia. Low magnesium levels in the blood can result in arrhythmias, episodes of dizziness, confusion, tremors, and muscle cramps in the extremities. Patients can also manifest with episodes of seizures due to low magnesium levels in the blood. Report any of these findings to the physician immediately, to prevent any life-threatening arrhythmias and further seizure episodes. Periodical labs, administration of magnesium supplements can help early diagnosis and resolve symptoms of low magnesium levels in the blood. Space out the supplement administration with ranitidine by atleast 2 hours, to avoid the risk of poor supplement absorption with ranitidine.
