Scribd
Upload
610 views1 page

Ondansetron: Usage and Guidelines

Ondansetron, sold under the trade name Zofran, is an antiemetic medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting prior to surgery or chemotherapy. It works by blocking serotonin receptors in areas of the brain and body associated with triggering nausea and vomiting. The standard adult dosage is 4-32 mg given orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly. Common side effects include dizziness and constipation. It should not be used in patients with phenylketonuria due to the artificial sweetener aspartame it contains. As an antiemetic, ondansetron is more expensive than other options but has less sedating effects and is often prescribed for chemotherapy patients, though it crosses

Uploaded by

Michele Gilbert Blum
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
610 views1 page

Ondansetron: Usage and Guidelines

Ondansetron, sold under the trade name Zofran, is an antiemetic medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting prior to surgery or chemotherapy. It works by blocking serotonin receptors in areas of the brain and body associated with triggering nausea and vomiting. The standard adult dosage is 4-32 mg given orally, intravenously, or intramuscularly. Common side effects include dizziness and constipation. It should not be used in patients with phenylketonuria due to the artificial sweetener aspartame it contains. As an antiemetic, ondansetron is more expensive than other options but has less sedating effects and is often prescribed for chemotherapy patients, though it crosses

Uploaded by

Michele Gilbert Blum
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Name of Drug:

Generic: Trade Name:


Ondansetron Zofran

Classification:
Pharmacologic Therapeutic: FDA category
Antiemetic Analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, Pregnancy
Nonopiod analgesic Category B
Mechanism of Action/Uses:
Used prior to surgery; Used for chemo pts
Blocks specific receptor sites (5-HT3), which are associated with nausea and vomiting in the
Chemoreceptor trigger zone, centrally, and at specific sites peripherally.
Correct Dosage Range and Route:
Adult Dosage:
PO, IV, IM 4-32 mg

Common Side Effects:


Dizziness, Constipation (sedating, but not as sedating as phenergan)

Contraindications:
Contains Aspartame—do not use in pts w/ phenylketonuria (rare condition in which a baby is born
without the ability to properly break down an amino acid called phenylalanine)

Nursing Process:
• More expensive than phenergan, but has less sedating effect
• Often used for N/V in chemo pts
• Crosses placenta, may enter breast milk
Pre-administration Assessment
Ask how much have they been vomiting?
Interventions/Patient Teaching
Be sure the timing of the drug corresponds with chemo/radiation tx
Evaluation
Monitor I&O, liver enzymes

You might also like