Objective.—To determine whether the H 2-receptor antagonist, ranitidine, which is a potent
inhibitor of gastric alcohol dehydrogenase activity in vitro, increases the bioavailability of
orally administered ethanol (0.3 g/kg of body weight) and to compare the resulting blood
alcohol concentrations with those of two other H 2-antagonists, cimetidine and famotidine,
the latter of which does not inhibit gastric alcohol dehydrogenase. Design.—For each of the
H 2-receptor antagonists, a different group of subjects was used. In each group, a paired …