Ondansetron Injection

Conditions Treated

Ondansetron injection is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy and surgery. Ondansetron is in a class of medications called 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. It works by blocking the action of serotonin, a natural substance that may cause nausea and vomiting.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Ondansetron may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• headache
• constipation
• drowsiness
• feeling cold
• numbness, burning, or tingling in the fingers or toes
• fever
• pain, redness, swelling, warmth, or burning in the place where ondansetron was injected

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• rash
• hives
• itching
• swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• hoarseness
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• shortness of breath
• noisy, high pitched breathing
• blurred vision or vision loss

Ondansetron may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Ondansetron comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (into a vein) or into a muscle by a health care provider in a hospital or clinic. When ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, it is usually given 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy. Additional doses may be given 4 hours after the first dose and 8 hours after the first dose. When ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by surgery, it is usually given just before the surgery. Ondansetron is also sometimes given after surgery to patients who are experiencing nausea and vomiting and did not receive ondansetron before surgery.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your usual diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking ondansetron, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to ondansetron, alosetron (Lotronex), dolasetron (Anzemet), granisetron (Kytril), palonosetron (Aloxi), or any other medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention tramadol (Ultram, in Ultracet). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you more carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease.