Rhinitis and asthma due to ranitidine.

Few reports exist on allergic reactions to ranitidine. We present a case of bronchospastic reaction to ranitidine occurred during a drug challenge test. After administration of a therapeutic dose of ranitidine, the patient showed dyspnea, cough and bronchospasm in all the lung fields. Personal respiratory background was negative for respiratory disease and asthma. On reviewing the literature we found no reports of bronchospastic reaction to ranitidine. Quickness and the clinical characteristics of the adverse reaction suggest a pathogenic mechanism of immediate-type hypersensitivity.