Nausea is an unpleasant symptom that can be caused by various factors. A feeling of heaviness in the stomach and intestines can appear sharply, catch a person by surprise. In most cases, this feeling is temporary.
It is recommended to consult a medical specialist if an unpleasant symptom appears regularly, especially after eating a meal. In such a situation, most likely, a person has disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system.
After the examination, the doctor prescribes certain drugs to eliminate this condition. One such medicine is Zofran.
Structure
The drug has an antiemetic effect. Ondansetron is an active substance that is part of Zofran, which is a powerful highly selective antagonist of serotonin receptors. Taking the drug does not affect the concentration of prolactin in the blood.
According to the instructions, the medicine "Zofran" is available in several dosage forms:
- Solution.
- Syrup for oral administration.
- Rectal suppositories.
- Lozenges.
The structure of the solution for intravenous and intramuscular administration includes the following components:
- ondansetron;
- lemon acid;
- sodium citric acid;
- sodium chloride;
- water.
The composition of the tablet for resorption includes:
- ondansetron;
- l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine;
- gelatin;
- mannitol;
- p-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester;
- strawberry flavoring;
- sodium phenolate is carboxylated with carbon dioxide;
- water.
The composition of the syrup "Zofran" includes the following substances:
- ondansetron;
- lemon acid;
- sodium citric acid;
- benzoic acid sodium salt;
- glucite;
- strawberry flavoring;
- water.
According to the instructions for use, Zofran candles contain:
- ondansetron;
- Witepsol S58.
The drug in any form has an antiemetic effect.
Indications
According to the instructions, Zofran is recommended for use in eliminating and for preventive purposes:
- Nausea and vomiting during radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Postoperative gagging and nausea.
What prohibitions does Zofran have?
The drug is prohibited to use in the presence of the following conditions:
- Pregnancy.
- Breast-feeding.
- Increased sensitivity to the drug.
- Children under the age of eighteen for suppositories.
- Patient under two years of age for tablets and syrup.
- Heart rhythm disturbances.
How to use the medicine?
According to the instructions for use, Zofran tablets must be placed on the tip of the tongue and swallowed after dissolution, the syrup must be taken orally.
The medication regimen for the prevention and elimination of vomiting and nausea caused by radiotherapy or cytostatic chemotherapy, which is due to the emetogenicity of antitumor treatment, is described below.
As a rule, adult daily dosage for oral administration is 8-32 milligrams. According to the instructions for use with Zofran tablets, it is known that the following modes are recommended:
- With average emetogenic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it is necessary to take 8 milligrams 1-2 hours before the start of the main treatment, then a second dose should be taken after twelve hours.
- With highly emetogenic chemotherapy, 24 milligrams of ondansetron should be used together with 12 mg of Dexamethasone two hours before the start of chemotherapy.
According to the instructions for Zofran tablets, for preventive purposes, to prevent prolonged or late vomiting that occurs twenty-four hours later, for five days it is necessary to use the drug orally twice a day for 8 milligrams.
For small patients, immediately before chemotherapy, the drug is administered once in the form of a solution intravenously at a dosage of 5 mg / m². After twelve hours, it is recommended to use the drug orally (syrup, lozenges) at a dosage of 4 milligrams. After chemotherapy, therapy should be carried out for five days twice a day, 4 mg each.
According to the instructions to "Zofran", to prevent and eliminate vomiting and nausea in the postoperative period, adult patients are recommended to use the drug in the form of syrup or tablets for resorption at a concentration of 16 milligrams an hour before anesthesia.
To neutralize postoperative vomiting and nausea, an injection is used. To prevent unpleasant symptoms after surgery, the drug is administered intravenously to children.
According to the instructions to Zofran, there is no need to change the dosage for patients of retirement age and people suffering from renal failure and slow exchanges of spartein or debrisoquine.
The daily concentration of the active substance "Zofran" for patients with liver damage should not exceed 8 milligrams.
The drug in the form of suppositories is used rectally. The use of Zofran for the prevention and elimination of vomiting and nausea caused by radiotherapy or cytostatic chemotherapy due to the emetogenicity of antitumor treatment is described below.
According to the instructions for the use of Zofran suppositories, with a moderate degree of unpleasant symptoms of emetogenic chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it is recommended to use 1 suppository (16 milligrams of ondansetron) one to two hours before the start of treatment.
In case of increased nausea (after the treatment of diseases with chemicals), suppositories are used in the same dosage together with the intravenous administration of 20 milligrams of Dexamethasone.
According to the instructions, Zofran suppositories are also used for prophylactic purposes to prevent long or late vomiting that occurs twenty-four hours after the end of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Treatment should be carried out for five days, one candle per day.
Children and patients with liver disease should not use Zofran. There is no need to change the dose for people of retirement age and patients with kidney diseases and a slow exchange of spartein or debrisoquine.
How to apply the solution?
The dosage regimen of Zofran in the form of a solution to prevent and neutralize vomiting and nausea, which is provoked by radiation therapy or chemotherapy of malignant neoplasms, depends on the emetogenicity of the anti-blastoma treatment.
According to the instructions for use, Zofran in ampoules must be used in the following modes:
- With emetogenic radiation treatment and chemotherapy, it is recommended to be administered intramuscularly or intravenously.
- With a highly emetogenic systemic method of combating malignant tumors, 8 milligrams are administered once intravenously or intramuscularly before starting therapy.
According to the instructions for use with Zofran in ampoules, it is known that infusion of higher dosages (from 8 to 32 milligrams) is possible by intravenous administration after dissolving the drug in one hundred milliliters of a 0.9% sodium chloride solution for fifteen minutes or more.
It is possible to use the drug by another method. Eight milligrams of the solution is administered intravenously or intramuscularly before chemotherapy.
According to the instructions, Zofran ampoules are recommended to be used in the form of two intravenous or intramuscular infusions in the same dosage with a time interval of two to four hours, or a continuous infusion of the drug at a rate of 1 milligram per hour is used for twenty-four hours.
The effectiveness of Zofran can be strengthened by additional intravenous administration (prior to treatment of diseases with chemicals) of 20 milligrams of sodium dexamethasone phosphate.
Syrup
Children from six months to seventeen years of age, the drug is prescribed based on the surface area of the body:
- Less than 0.6 m² is recommended for administration of 5 mg / m², and after twelve hours, 2 milligrams of syrup is taken orally.
- Less than 0.6-1.2 m², an initial dosage of 5 mg / m² is prescribed; after twelve hours, 4 milligrams of syrup is taken orally.
- More than 1.2 m² is prescribed for use of 8 milligrams, after 12 hours, 8 milligrams of the drug is taken orally.
Within five days after the end of therapy, the use of syrup is carried out twice a day in the same dosage (2, 4 or 8 milligrams).
Side effects
According to the instructions, "Zofran" in tablet form for resorption, as well as in the form of syrup and suppositories can lead to the following negative effects:
- Hypotension is a disease characterized by a decrease in blood pressure.
- Dry mouth.
- Hiccups.
- Diarrhea is a pathological process in which a person has frequent (more than three times a day) bowel movements, while the stool becomes liquid.
- Intestinal obstruction is a disease that is characterized by impaired promotion of the contents of the digestive organs and is caused by a mechanical obstruction of the intestinal motor function.
- Burning in the sphincter.
- Dizziness.
- Headache.
- Convulsive syndrome - paroxysmal, involuntary muscle contraction as a result of their overstrain.
- Bronchospasm is a pathology that occurs when the smooth muscles of the bronchi are contracted and their lumen is reduced.
- Nettle rash is a disease whose main sign is the occurrence of blisters on the skin.
- Laryngospasm is a sharp involuntary contraction of the muscles of the larynx, which causes complete closure of the vestibular fissure and passes with shortness of breath.
- Angioedema is a reaction to the effects of various biological and chemical factors, often of an allergic nature.
- Feeling of heat.
- Hyperemia is a condition that occurs due to an increased blood flow to the capillaries, resulting in a surface of the skin and mucous membrane.
- Hypercreatininemia is a condition in which blood creatinine levels are elevated. Usually it does not appear in any way, but it is felt only with sharp changes from normal to a high level.
- Hypokalemia is a pathological condition characterized by a decrease in the concentration of potassium ions in the blood plasma.
According to the instructions for use, with the introduction of the solution, the following conditions and pathologies may occur:
- Arrhythmia is a disease that is characterized by a violation of the frequency, as well as a failure of the rhythm and sequence of contractions of the departments of the cardiovascular system.
- Lowering blood pressure.
- Hot flushes are the most common symptom of menopause and perimenopause.
- Feeling of heat.
- Transient changes in the electrocardiogram.
- Migraine is a neurological disease, which is characterized by the occurrence of episodic or constant severe pain.
- Cramps.
- An oculogyric crisis is an unpleasant condition that is difficult to treat because it requires careful diagnosis.
- Dyskinesia is a lesion of the stomach and intestines, which is characterized by a violation of the motility of the gallbladder and the functions of its sphincters.
- Dystonia is a disease that is characterized by spasmodic muscle contraction.
- Anaphylaxis is the body’s reaction to a specific allergen, accompanied by muscle cramps, swelling, severe pain and suffocation.
- Constipation.
If the above adverse reactions occur, you should contact a medical specialist.
Zofran during pregnancy
The safety of treatment with ondansetron during an "interesting situation" in humans has not been proven. Preclinical studies do not tell about a direct and indirect negative impact on the formation of the fetus, as well as processes of gestation, postnatal development.
But these results do not confirm the complete harmlessness of Zofran therapy for pregnant women, so its appointment to this category of people is prohibited. According to studies, the active substance enters the milk of animals during breastfeeding. Therefore, when it is prescribed, it is necessary to stop lactation.
Generics Overview
Analogs of Zofran are considered:
- "Onitsit".
- Latran
- "Ondantor."
- "Navoban".
- Ondansetron.
- Kitril.
- Ondansetron-Teva.
- Emeset.
- "Ondasol."
- Emetron.
- "Sturgeon".
- "Domegan".
- "Avomit."
- Vero-Ondansetron.
- "Lazaran VM".
- Setronon
- Granisetron-Teva.
- Zoltem.
- Tropindol.
Before changing the medicine, you need to visit a doctor to make sure there are no contraindications. Next, the most effective drugs will be considered.
Latran
The drug is an antagonist of serotonin nerve endings. "Latran" has an antiemetic effect that does not provoke impaired coordination, drowsiness, does not reduce performance and activity. The drug is available in several dosage forms:
In patients who have information in the medical history of hypersensitivity reactions to other selective antagonists of serotonin receptors, similar effects on the drug may occur. If bowel obstruction occurs after the use of the drug, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient, since ondansetron (the active substance) can provoke constipation.
The solution for infusion should be prepared, as a rule, before the procedure. Before use, the finished mixture can be stored at a temperature of two to eight degrees Celsius for no more than one day. When carrying out the infusion, it is not necessary to protect the solution from light, the ready injection solution retains its pharmacological properties for another twenty-four hours under lamp lighting or natural light.
According to the instructions for use, after using the tablets, the pharmacological effect appears after an hour and a half. With intramuscular injections, the maximum content of the active substance in the blood is achieved within ten minutes. The process of distribution of the active substance does not depend on the method of administration. Bioavailability is about sixty percent. Up to seventy-five percent of the drug binds to blood proteins.
The drug is metabolized in the liver. The time for removing the active component from the body is three hours, it is excreted, as a rule, with urine. In patients of retirement age, there is a change in pharmacokinetic parameters, as a result of which the half-life is prolonged to five hours. With severe damage to the kidneys and liver - from four to thirty hours.
The medicine, depending on the form of release, is administered intravenously, intramuscularly or orally inside.
To eliminate the negative state of a person after prolonged use, 8 milligrams of Latran are administered intravenously, which must first be diluted in 400 mg of sodium chloride. The drug can be reused (if necessary). To purchase the drug in a pharmacy, you need a prescription from a medical specialist. The price of Latran varies from 200 to 500 rubles.
Sturgeon
A drug that has an antiemetic effect. The medication is available in two dosage forms:
According to the instructions for use, "Osetron" refers to antiemetic drugs of central influence. It has anxiolytic activity. The plasma content of prolactin does not change. Medicines that are used in the implementation of cytostatic chemotherapy and radiation therapy can lead to an increase in serotonin, which provokes a vomiting reflex.
The use of the medication does not lead to impaired coordination of movements, decreased performance and the appearance of a calming effect.
During treatment, a slowdown in the motor activity of the large intestine is possible, therefore, in the presence of symptoms of intestinal obstruction, patients need constant monitoring. The diluted solution retains its therapeutic effect throughout the day under normal lighting or natural light.
Preparing a medicine is strictly necessary only before the procedure. If necessary, a ready-made solution for injection can be stored for 24 hours, subject to temperature conditions. The cost of the drug is 400 rubles.
Emeset
A pharmaceutical medication that has an antiemetic effect. Emeset is designed to neutralize nausea and eliminate vomiting during cytostatic treatment. The use of the drug may also be useful when postoperative vomiting occurs.
The spectrum of action of the active substance in this situation is the same - blocking the propagation of an electrical impulse along nerve fibers. When using the drug, an orally high content of ondansetron is observed in human blood for 1.5 hours.
According to the instructions for use, with intramuscular or intravenous administration, the maximum concentration of the drug is determined in a much shorter time. The bioavailability of the drug is not more than sixty percent.
The distribution of the active component in the tissues of the body is uniform. The highest concentration of ondansetron is determined in the areas of the brain and spinal cord. The processes of biological transformation of the active substance occur in the liver. Withdrawal of the drug is carried out with urine. The half-life does not depend on the dosage form, is approximately three hours. The cost of the drug is about 500 rubles.
Ondansetron
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From the gastrointestinal tract, the drug is absorbed by almost one hundred percent. Its half-life is no more than twenty minutes. The maximum content in the blood is reached in three hours. The bioavailability of the drug in a single dosage is up to sixty percent, which increases with increasing volume of Tropindol.
The metabolism of the drug is carried out in the liver with the production of pharmacologically inactive metabolic products. Re-appointment of Tropindol should be strictly dosed to avoid drug dependence.
Withdrawal of the medication occurs, as a rule, by the kidneys (seventy-eight percent), as well as by the intestines with feces (a little more than fifteen percent). Those patients who have an accelerated metabolism can expect a half-life of up to eight hours, in other situations this value can reach forty-five hours.
In young patients, the pharmacokinetic parameters are identical to those observed in adults. The price of the drug starts from 1100 rubles.
It must be remembered that only a medical specialist can say which medication is best for one or another patient.
Opinions
According to reviews, Zofran copes with nausea caused by general anesthesia or the use of chemotherapy medications. Most patients like the results of therapy and a large selection of dosage forms of this drug.
Despite an extensive list of adverse reactions, they are recorded very rarely. The cost of the drug varies from 700 to 5000 rubles.
Conclusion
It is not recommended to administer the drug "Zofran" in the same infusion solution or in the same syringe with other drugs.
The medication does not affect the ability to drive a car, as well as carry out activities, which requires increased attention.
The active component of Zofran increases the movement of contents through the large intestine. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure systematic monitoring of patients who have symptoms of subacute intestinal obstruction.
Information on the use of the drug in childhood is limited.
When using the Zofran drug during chemotherapy, increased sensitivity may appear in patients who have an excessive sensitivity to other selective antagonists of serotonin receptors in the medical history.