H2RA
Medical abbreviation · Drug Class
| Stands for | Histamine-2 receptor antagonist |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
H2RA stands for Histamine-2 receptor antagonist, a drug class abbreviation.
Acid-reducing drugs, famotidine, cimetidine and nizatidine, that block histamine's signal to stomach acid cells. They act faster but less powerfully than PPIs and are often used for occasional heartburn or nighttime acid.
Example: H2RA famotidine 20 mg at bedtime for nocturnal breakthrough reflux.
Usage notes
Also written H2 blocker. Cimetidine (Tagamet), approved in the US in 1977, was one of the first "blockbuster" drugs and came from the lab of James Black. Ranitidine (Zantac) was withdrawn in 2020 after the probable carcinogen NDMA was found to form in the product. Cimetidine has many drug interactions, unlike famotidine.
Related abbreviations
More drug class abbreviations
- FQ – Fluoroquinolone
- GC – Glucocorticoid
- GIP/GLP-1 RA – Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like…
- GLP-1 RA – Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist
- GnRHa – Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist
- GPI – Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor
- HRT – Hormone replacement therapy
- ICI – Immune checkpoint inhibitor
- ICS – Inhaled corticosteroid
- ICS/LABA – Inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting beta-agonist combination
- IMiD – Immunomodulatory imide drug
- INCS – Intranasal corticosteroids
See all 113 drug class abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.