Ondansetron has an inhibitory action of serotonin , a molecule in the brain that can cause nausea and vomiting .
What is Ondansetron used for?
Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy , radiation therapy and surgery .
How is Ondansetron taken?
Ondansetron is usually taken orally in the form of tablets, soluble tablets or solution. The first dose is usually taken 30 minutes before chemotherapy , 1 or 2 hours before radiotherapy , or one hour before surgical treatment. Sometimes, 1 to 3 doses of Ondansetron per day can be administered during the entire duration of radio- or chemotherapy and for 1 or 2 days at the end of the treatment.
Potential side effects of Ondansetron include:
It is advisable to contact your doctor immediately in all cases where the treatment is associated with:
- agitation
- hallucinations
- slow, fast or irregular heart beat
- dizziness , light-headedness or fainting
- confusion
- convulsions
- difficulty breathing or difficulty swallowing
- chest pain
- temperature
- shortness of breath
- swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles or calves
- stiff muscles or tics
- nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- urticaria
- loss of coordination
- loss of consciousness
- vision problems
- itch
- rash
- excessive sweating
Contraindications and warnings on the use of Ondansetron
It would be a good idea to inform your doctor before taking Ondansetron in the following cases:
- allergies to the active substance, to its excipients or to any other drug , especially if it is alosetron, dolasetron, ganisetron or palonosetron;
- in the event that apomorphine is being taken;
- of the medicines, phytotherapy and supplements that you are taking, including in particular anticonvulsants, Clarithromycin, Erythromycin, Fentanyl, Lithium, antiarrhythmics, psychotropic drugs, drugs against migraine, Methylene Blue, Mirtazapine, MAO inhibitors, Moxifloxacin, SSRI and Tramadol ;
- if you have suffered in the past , or still suffer from long QT syndrome or other heart beat abnormalities, magnesium or potassium deficiencies, heart failure or liver disease, or if one of these pathologies has in the past affected one of their family members;
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding naturally ;
- if you suffer from phenylketonuria .
