Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pharmaceutical compound: "cimetidine" is a specific medicinal drug belonging to the class of H₂ receptor antagonists.
   • A treatment for acid-related disorders: It is used primarily to treat conditions like peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by reducing the production of stomach acid.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor prescribed cimetidine to help heal the patient's ulcer.
  • Cimetidine was a groundbreaking treatment when it was first introduced.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on cimetidine": to be taking the drug as part of a treatment regimen.
  • The patient has been on cimetidine for three months with significant improvement.

Variants and Related Words

• Tagamet (n): The most common brand name for cimetidine.
  • Tagamet was widely advertised in the 1980s.

Synonyms

• H₂ antagonist: Refers to the class of drugs that block histamine receptors in the stomach.
• Histamine H₂-receptor antagonist: The full technical term for the drug's mechanism of action.

Notes on Meaning

• Medical Context: The word "cimetidine" is used almost exclusively in medical, pharmaceutical, or clinical contexts. It is not used in everyday general conversation.
• Historical Significance: It is recognized as the first commercially successful H₂ antagonist, marking a major advance in ulcer therapy.

Noun

1. a drug (trade name Tagamet) used to treat peptic ulcers by decreasing the secretion of stomach acid