ABSTRACT
Ondansetron was first synthesised in 1983 and it is estimated that over 4 million patient treatments have been given with ondansetron in clinical practice. Clinical trials in over 15,000 patients have demonstrated that ondansetron is effective and well tolerated in a range of clinical settings, including adults and children and over repeated courses of treatment. Ondansetron is convenient to administer, being effective as a single intravenous dose for the control of acute emesis and as oral therapy on a twice-daily schedule. Recent studies have also shown it to be a cost-effective anti-emetic when the costs of treatment failure of traditional anti-emetics are taken into account. Studies have also demonstrated an improved quality of life with ondansetron compared to treatment with metoclopramide. Ondansetron has also been found to be effective in the prevention or treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting and other studies are underway to investigate its potential use in other clinical settings. Furthermore, appropriately designed trials are ongoing to evaluate the place of ondansetron in the control of cisplatin-induced delayed emesis. In conclusion, ondansetron has been shown to be a major advance in the control of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Subject(s)
Nausea/prevention & control , Ondansetron/therapeutic use , Vomiting/prevention & control , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Drug Administration Schedule , Female , Forecasting , Humans , Male , Nausea/chemically induced , Ondansetron/economics , Research Design , Sex Factors , Vomiting/chemically inducedSubject(s)
Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Serotonin Antagonists/therapeutic use , Vomiting/drug therapy , Antiemetics/adverse effects , Antiemetics/chemistry , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Cisplatin/adverse effects , Granisetron , Headache/chemically induced , Humans , Imidazoles/adverse effects , Imidazoles/chemistry , Imidazoles/therapeutic use , Indazoles/chemistry , Indazoles/therapeutic use , Indoles/chemistry , Indoles/therapeutic use , Nausea/chemically induced , Nausea/drug therapy , Ondansetron , Radiation Injuries/drug therapy , Radiotherapy/adverse effects , Serotonin Antagonists/adverse effects , Serotonin Antagonists/chemistry , Tropisetron , Vomiting/chemically inducedABSTRACT
A total of 33 patients with myeloma receiving treatment with high-dose melphalan (140-200 mg/m2 i.v.) were given the 5HT3 antagonist Ondansetron (Glaxo) as an antiemetic. In 42% of patients, emetic episodes were either abolished (15%) or reduced to two or less (27%). Efficacy was not related to scheduling (two regimens) or total dose. No sedative or other significant side effects were seen. Ondansetron is a highly effective non-sedative antiemetic that justifies further assessment in combination with other antiemetics in patients receiving cytotoxic drugs associated with the production of severe nausea and vomiting.
