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"What is it used for?  Preventing and treating nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy for cancer in adults and children aged six months and above. Preventing and treating nausea and vomiting caused by radiotherapy for cancer in adults. Preventing and treating nausea and vomiting following surgery in adults and children aged one month and above.  How does it work? Zofran melt tablets contain the active ingredient ondansetron, which is a type of medicine called a 5HT3 antagonist. (NB. Ondansetron is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.) Ondansetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting that can be caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for cancer, or by surgery. Vomiting is controlled by an area of the brain called the vomiting centre. The vomiting centre is responsible for causing feelings of sickness (nausea) and for the vomiting reflex. It is activated when it receives nerve messages from another area of the brain called the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and when it receives nerve messages from the gut.  Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery can cause a substance called serotonin (5HT) to be released in the gut. This 5HT acts on the 5HT3 receptors that are found in the gut and causes nerve messages to be sent to the vomiting centre.  5HT released by chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery also activates the 5HT3 receptors that are found in the CTZ in the brain, causing further messages to be sent to the vomiting centre.  Ondansetron works by blocking the 5HT3 receptors that are found in the brain and gut. This prevents the nausea messages being sent from these areas to the vomiting centre. Ondansetron therefore prevents nausea, retching and vomiting that can otherwise occur following surgery or due to cancer treatments.  How do I take it?  Zofran melt tablets are designed to dissolve rapidly on the tongue and be swallowed with the saliva, without the need for a drink of water.  The blister pack should be peeled open to remove the tablets. The tablets should not be pushed through the foil, as this will damage them.   Use with caution in  People who are allergic to other 5HT3 antagonists, eg granisetron. Decreased liver function. People with a blockage in the gut (intestinal obstruction). People with a slow or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or heart failure. People with a personal or family history of an abnormal heart rhythm seen on a heart monitoring trace (ECG) as a &amp;#039;prolonged QT interval&amp;#039;.  People taking medicines that can cause a &amp;#039;prolonged QT interval&amp;#039; (your doctor will know, but see end of this factsheet for some examples).  People taking medicines to treat an irregular heartbeat (antiarrhythmics) or beta-blocker medicines.  People with disturbances of the levels of salts (electrolytes) such as potassium and magnesium in their blood. People having surgery on the adenoids or tonsils. An inherited disorder of protein metabolism called phenylketonuria (Zofran melt tablets contain aspartame, which is a source of phenylalanine).  Not to be used in  People with known hypersensitivity or allergy to any ingredient.  This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.  The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been established. It is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless considered essential by your doctor. Seek medical advice from your doctor. This medicine may pass into breast milk. Mothers who need treatment with this medicine should not breastfeed their infants during treatment. Seek medical advice from your doctor.  Side effects Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect. Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)  Headache.  Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)  Flushing or sensation of warmth. Constipation.  Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)  Involuntary movements. Seizures. Slow heart rate (bradycardia). Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). Chest pain. Low blood pressure (hypotension). Hiccups. Alteration in results of liver function tests.  Rare (affect between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people)  Allergy to active ingredient (hypersensitivity). Abnormal heart rhythm seen as a &amp;#039;prolonged QT interval&amp;#039; on a heart monitoring trace or ECG.   The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine&amp;#039;s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist. How can this medicine affect other medicines? It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while having treatment with this one, to make sure that the combination is safe.  Ondansetron should not be used in combination with apomorphine (used to treat Parkinson&amp;#039;s disease). The following medicines may increase the removal of ondansetron from the body and could therefore make it less effective:   carbamazepine phenytoin rifampicin.  Small studies suggest that ondansetron may reduce the painkilling effect of tramadol. There may be an increased risk of an abnormal heart rhythm if ondansetron is taken with other medicines that can affect the heart, such as the following:  antiarrhythmics (medicines to treat abnormal heartbeats), eg amiodarone, procainamide, disopyramide, sotalol anti-cancer medicines that can affect the heart, for example trastuzumab or anthracyclines such as doxorubicin  the antihistamines astemizole, mizolastine or terfenadine arsenic trioxide atomoxetine  certain antidepressants, eg amitriptyline, imipramine, maprotiline  certain antimalarials, eg halofantrine, chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, Riamet  certain antipsychotics, eg thioridazine, chlorpromazine, sertindole, haloperidol cisapride  intravenous erythromycin or pentamidine methadone moxifloxacin  medicines that can alter the levels of salts such as potassium or magnesium in your blood, eg diuretics such as furosemide.  Other medicines containing the same active ingredient    Ondemet Zofran Zofran suppositories    Ondansetron tablets, syrup and injection are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine. Last updated 13.09.2012 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/cancer/a7797/zofran-melt-ondansetron/>