Under Beers Criteria, which category includes cimetidine, famotidine, and nizatidine?

• A. H2 receptor antagonists
• B. Proton pump inhibitors
• C. Sodium bicarbonate
• D. Prokinetic agents

Answer: (A)

Beers Criteria groups medications by risk in older adults, and one category covers drugs that block histamine-2 receptors in the stomach to reduce acid. Cimetidine, famotidine, and nizatidine are classic examples of H2 receptor antagonists, so they belong in this category. This class is distinct from proton pump inhibitors, which inhibit the acid pump, and from prokinetic agents, which affect GI motility. Sodium bicarbonate is not a Beers-listed category. In older adults, these H2 blockers are used with caution due to risks like confusion or delirium and potential drug interactions (cimetidine has notable interactions), so clinicians may avoid chronic use when possible or choose alternatives.