Aloxi

Generic name: Palonosetron (injection)
Drug class: 5HT3 receptor antagonists

Usage of Aloxi

Aloxi blocks the actions of chemicals in the body that can trigger nausea and vomiting.

Aloxi is used in adults to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by surgery, or by receiving medicine to treat cancer (chemotherapy).

Aloxi is used in children as young as 1 month old only to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer medicine.

Aloxi side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Aloxi: hives; chest pain, difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Common Aloxi side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting;

constipation;

slow heartbeats; or

headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Aloxi

You should not be treated with Aloxi if you are allergic to palonosetron.

To make sure Aloxi is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a similar medicine for nausea or vomiting, such as dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran).

Be sure your doctor knows if you also take stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. These medicines may interact with palonosetron and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Relate drugs

How to use Aloxi

Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Chemotherapy Induced:

Oral: 0.5 mg orally administered approximately 1 hour prior to the start of chemotherapy Uses: Moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses. Parenteral: 0.25 mg IV as a single dose 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy Uses: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting in adults associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately and highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Postoperative:

Parenteral: 0.075 mg IV as a single dose immediately before induction of anesthesia Uses: Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in adults for up to 24 hours following surgery. Efficacy beyond 24 hours has not been determined.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Chemotherapy Induced:

Parenteral: 20 mcg/kg IV (maximum 1.5 mg x 1) infused over 15 minutes beginning 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy Uses: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of emetogenic cancer chemotherapy, including highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy in patients 1 month to less than 17 years of age.

Warnings

Before you receive Aloxi, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or allergies, and all the medicines you are using. Also make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Tell your doctor if you forget to take use Aloxi within 1 hour before chemotherapy. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What other drugs will affect Aloxi

Using Aloxi while you are using certain other medicines can cause high levels of serotonin to build up in your body, a condition called "serotonin syndrome," which can be fatal. Tell your doctor if you also use:

stimulant medicine;

herbal products;

medicine for depression or mental illness;

migraine headache medicine;

Parkinson's disease medication;

medicine to treat a serious infections;

opioid medication; or

other medicine to prevent nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete and many other drugs can interact with palonosetron. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.