Ondansetron

When should one not use Ondansetron

• If you are allergic to ondansetron.
• If you are consuming a medicine called Apomorphine, which is used to treat the loss of muscle control and muscle stiffness in Parkinson's disease.

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Headache
• Constipation
• Hiccups
• Low blood pressure
• Sensation of warmth
• Fits
• Flushing

Other General Warnings

• You have any liver problems.
• You are experiencing a condition of salt imbalance in your blood, dehydration or you are going through fluid loss.
• You are allergic to medicines that are similar like Granisetron or Palonosetron.
• You are experiencing severe constipation or have a blockage in your stomach as this medicine can affect the food transit time through the digestive tract.
• You had or have heart problems like heart failure or irregular heartbeats.

How Does It Work?

Interactions with other medicines

• Some medicines can affect the way ondansetron works or this medicine itself can reduce the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time.
• Inform your doctor about all the medicines, supplements or herbals you are currently taking or might take to avoid any possible interaction.
• Be careful if you are taking medicine like Amiodarone for uneven heartbeats or Arrhythmias.
• You may experience irregular heart rhythm if you take medicines like Doxorubicin, Trastuzumab, antihypertensive medicine such as Atenolol or Timolol, antimalarial medicine such as Halofantrine, antibiotic medicine like Erythromycin and antifungal medicine like Ketoconazole.
• You may experience low blood pressure and unconsciousness if you take ondansetron along with Apomorphine. Hence, these medicines should not be used together.
• Medicines used to relieve pain such as Tramadol may not work when taken along with ondansetron.
• You may experience serotonin syndrome (symptoms like high body temperature, irritation, shakiness, sweating, widened pupils and diarrhoea), including abnormal mental state with medicines used to treat psychiatric illness such as Citalopram or Sertraline.
• Other medicines like Phenytoin, Carbamazepine and Rifampicin may affect the action of ondansetron.

Overdose

Missed a Dose