Oral Tablets of Ondansetron: Dosage, Potential Side Effects, Applications, and Further Information
Ondansetron is a medication commonly used to help prevent nausea and vomiting in adults and children, particularly during chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and certain surgeries. Here's what you need to know about this drug.
Financial Assistance and Availability
Financial assistance may be available to help you pay for ondansetron. Websites like Medicine Assistance Tool and NeedyMeds offer resources that could help decrease the price you pay for ondansetron.
Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy
Certain chemotherapy treatments, such as cisplatin, carmustine (BiCNU), dacarbazine, mechlorethamine (Valchlor), streptozocin (Zanosar), as well as some radiation therapies, are likely to cause nausea and vomiting. Ondansetron can be a valuable tool in managing these side effects.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
It's not known for certain whether ondansetron is safe to take while pregnant. Reports of its use in pregnancy have not consistently shown the drug to be safe during this time. The safety of ondansetron during breastfeeding is also uncertain. Animal trials have shown the drug passes into animal milk, but it's unknown if ondansetron may also pass into human breastmilk or cause side effects in a breastfed child.
Drug Interactions and Storage
Ondansetron may interact with several other medications, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), triptans, antipsychotics, certain antibiotics, certain opioids, certain seizure drugs, apomorphine, mirtazapine, lithium, and others. It's essential to inform your doctor and pharmacist about all the drugs, vitamins, herbs, and supplements you take before starting ondansetron.
Store ondansetron oral tablets at a room temperature of 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). You can temporarily store the tablets at a temperature of 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C), such as while traveling.
Side Effects and Dosage
The common side effects of ondansetron oral tablets include constipation, headache, diarrhea, drowsiness, flushing (a feeling of warmth), weakness, and tiredness.
Additional information from clinical experience and post-marketing reports indicates some rarer but serious reactions such as rash, pruritus (itching), and allergic-type reactions including anaphylaxis, although these are less common. Ondansetron may also rarely cause visual disturbances like transient blurred vision, but these are mostly reported with intravenous use.
More severe side effects like changes in heart rhythm (QT prolongation), serotonin syndrome symptoms, and myocardial ischemia are less common but serious and warrant immediate medical attention.
Dosage and Administration
Take ondansetron according to the instructions your doctor gives you, and the frequency of dosing depends on the reason you're taking the drug. Ondansetron is available in two forms: a tablet that you swallow and an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT), which dissolves when placed on your tongue.
Prior Authorization and Mail-Order Pharmacy
Before approving coverage for ondansetron, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug.
Ondansetron may be available through a mail-order pharmacy, which may help lower the drug's cost and allow you to get your medication without leaving home.
Safety Precautions and Disposal
If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a bowel obstruction, low blood levels of potassium or magnesium, a heart problem, a liver problem, a genetic condition called phenylketonuria (for ondansetron ODT only), or have had an allergic reaction to either drug or any of its ingredients, be sure to talk with your doctor before taking ondansetron.
If you no longer need to take ondansetron and have leftover medication, it's important to dispose of it safely. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment.
Surgery and Anesthesia
Certain surgeries may require anesthesia, which is a medication that helps prevent pain during and after surgery, and nausea and vomiting are common side effects of anesthesia. Ondansetron can be a valuable tool in managing these side effects.
Efficacy and Onset of Action
Ondansetron is FDA-approved to help prevent nausea and vomiting in adults having surgery. The medication typically starts working within 30 minutes after you take your dose.
Note
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for questions regarding your personal health or the use of any medication.
Sources: 1. Drugs.com 2. Mayo Clinic 3. MedlinePlus 4. RxList 5. U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Financial assistance programs like Medicine Assistance Tool and NeedyMeds can help decrease the cost of ondansetron for individuals who need it.
- Ondansetron can be beneficial in managing nausea and vomiting side effects during chemotherapy treatments such as cisplatin, carmustine (BiCNU), dacarbazine, mechlorethamine (Valchlor), streptozocin (Zanosar), and certain radiation therapies.
- Pregnant women and those breastfeeding should be cautious when using ondansetron due to potential unknown effects on the fetus or breastfed child.
- Ondansetron may interact with various medications including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), triptans, antipsychotics, certain antibiotics, certain opioids, certain seizure drugs, apomorphine, mirtazapine, lithium, and others.
- Common side effects of ondansetron oral tablets include constipation, headache, diarrhea, drowsiness, flushing (a feeling of warmth), weakness, and tiredness.
- In rare cases, ondansetron may cause serious reactions such as rash, pruritus (itching), allergic-type reactions including anaphylaxis, visual disturbances like transient blurred vision (mostly reported with intravenous use), changes in heart rhythm (QT prolongation), serotonin syndrome symptoms, and myocardial ischemia.
- Prior authorization from your insurance company may be required before covering the cost of ondansetron, and the drug may be available through a mail-order pharmacy to lower costs.
- Those with certain medical conditions like a bowel obstruction, low blood levels of potassium or magnesium, a heart problem, a liver problem, a genetic condition called phenylketonuria (for ondansetron ODT only), or a history of allergic reactions to ondansetron or its ingredients should talk with their doctor before taking the medication.
- Ondansetron is FDA-approved for preventing nausea and vomiting in adults having surgery, and it typically starts working within 30 minutes after taking a dose. It can also be useful in managing nausea and vomiting side effects after certain surgeries that require anesthesia.
