Saturday, September 17, 2011

Zofran (ondansetron): New FDA warning

Zofran (ondansetron) is a class of medications called 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. It is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

FDA has issued a new warning against Zofran (Ondansetron) as it may increase the risk of developing prolongation of the QT interval, which can lead to Torsade de Pointes. Patients at particular risk are with underlying heart conditions, such as congenital long QT syndrome, with electrolyte imbalance like hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia, and those taking other medications that lead to QT prolongation.