cimetidine vs diazepam

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Side-by-side comparison of cimetidine and diazepam. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

At present, this reaction is known to occur with cimetidine, ketoconazole, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, and omeprazole.

Drug Class
cimetidine H2 Receptor Antagonist
diazepam Benzodiazepine
Type
cimetidine Over-the-Counter
diazepam Prescription
Summary
cimetidine

Cimetidine (Tagamet) reduces stomach acid. It is used to treat ulcers, heartburn, and other conditions where too much acid is produced.

diazepam

Diazepam (Valium) is a medicine that can help with anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which work by slowing down the brain.

What It Treats
cimetidine

Cimetidine treats active duodenal ulcers for short periods. It can also be used long-term at a lower dose to prevent ulcers from returning. This medicine also treats active benign gastric ulcers for a short time. Additionally, it can help with erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which damages the esophagus.

diazepam

Diazepam can help manage anxiety disorders or provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms. It can also relieve symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as shaking or agitation. Additionally, diazepam can help with muscle spasms and may be used with other medicines to treat seizures.

How It Works
cimetidine

Cimetidine is an H2 receptor antagonist. This means it blocks histamine from attaching to certain cells in your stomach. By blocking histamine, cimetidine reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes.

diazepam

Diazepam works by increasing the effects of a natural chemical in the brain called GABA. GABA helps to calm the brain and nerves. This can reduce anxiety, relax muscles, and prevent seizures.

Common Side Effects
cimetidine
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Diarrhea
diazepam
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Uncoordinated movements
FAERS Reports
cimetidine
  • Chronic Kidney Disease 1,264
  • Acute Kidney Injury 710
  • Renal Failure 694
  • Nausea 681
  • Fatigue 598
diazepam
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 9,167
  • Drug Abuse 7,019
  • Nausea 6,149
  • Fatigue 5,714
  • Pain 5,202
Serious Warnings
cimetidine

Reversible confusional states (like mental confusion, agitation, or hallucinations) have been reported, mostly in severely ill patients. These usually appear within 2-3 days of starting treatment and clear up within 3-4 days of stopping the drug.

diazepam

Diazepam can be habit-forming and can cause serious side effects, including breathing problems, coma, and even death, especially when taken with opioid pain medicines or alcohol. You should not stop taking diazepam suddenly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to slowly stop taking diazepam.

Pregnancy
cimetidine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The effects of cimetidine during pregnancy are not fully known. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking cimetidine while breastfeeding.

diazepam

Diazepam may harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if diazepam passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This cimetidine vs diazepam Comparison

cimetidine is classified in the H2 Receptor Antagonist drug class, while diazepam sits within the Benzodiazepine class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, cimetidine has 3,947 submissions while diazepam has 33,251. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to cimetidine interferes with how your liver handles diazepam. this results in higher amounts of diazepam staying in your body for a longer time.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for cimetidine or diazepam.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.