Pronunciation:

doe-LAS-e-tron MES-i-late

Brand Names:

• Anzemet

Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Classifications:

Therapeutic—

Antiemetic

Pharmacologic—

Dolasetron

Uses of This Medicine:

Dolasetron injection is used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting that may happen after surgery.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using This Medicine:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Children—

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of dolasetron injection to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting that occurred after surgery in children 2 years of age and older. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 2 years of age.

Use of dolasetron injection to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer medicines in children is not recommended.

Older adults—

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of dolasetron injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have heart rhythm problems (eg, prolonged QT, PR, and QRS interval), which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving dolasetron injection.

Use of dolasetron injection to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer medicines in geriatric patients is not recommended.

Breast-feeding—

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Other medicines—

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Apomorphine
• Bepridil
• Cisapride
• Dronedarone
• Levoketoconazole
• Levomethadyl
• Mesoridazine
• Pimozide
• Piperaquine
• Saquinavir
• Sparfloxacin
• Terfenadine
• Thioridazine
• Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Acecainide
• Adagrasib
• Ajmaline
• Alfentanil
• Alfuzosin
• Almotriptan
• Amineptine
• Amiodarone
• Amisulpride
• Amitriptyline
• Amitriptylinoxide
• Amoxapine
• Amphetamine
• Anagrelide
• Aprindine
• Aripiprazole
• Aripiprazole Lauroxil
• Arsenic Trioxide
• Asenapine
• Astemizole
• Atazanavir
• Azimilide
• Azithromycin
• Benzhydrocodone
• Benzphetamine
• Bretylium
• Brompheniramine
• Buprenorphine
• Buserelin
• Buspirone
• Butorphanol
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Chloral Hydrate
• Chloroquine
• Chlorpheniramine
• Chlorpromazine
• Ciprofloxacin
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Clofazimine
• Clomipramine
• Clothiapine
• Clozapine
• Cocaine
• Codeine
• Crizotinib
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Dabrafenib
• Dasatinib
• Degarelix
• Delamanid
• Desipramine
• Deslorelin
• Desvenlafaxine
• Deutetrabenazine
• Dexmedetomidine
• Dextroamphetamine
• Dextromethorphan
• Dibenzepin
• Dihydrocodeine
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Domperidone
• Donepezil
• Doxepin
• Droperidol
• Duloxetine
• Efavirenz
• Eletriptan
• Encorafenib
• Enflurane
• Entrectinib
• Erythromycin
• Escitalopram
• Fenfluramine
• Fentanyl
• Fexinidazole
• Fingolimod
• Flecainide
• Fluconazole
• Fluoxetine
• Fluvoxamine
• Formoterol
• Foscarnet
• Fostemsavir
• Frovatriptan
• Furazolidone
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Gepirone
• Glasdegib
• Gonadorelin
• Goserelin
• Granisetron
• Halofantrine
• Haloperidol
• Halothane
• Histrelin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Hydroquinidine
• Hydroxyamphetamine
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Hydroxyzine
• Ibutilide
• Iloperidone
• Imipramine
• Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
• Iproniazid
• Isocarboxazid
• Isoflurane
• Isradipine
• Ivabradine
• Ivosidenib
• Ketoconazole
• Lacosamide
• Lapatinib
• Lasmiditan
• Lefamulin
• Lenvatinib
• Leuprolide
• Levofloxacin
• Levomilnacipran
• Levorphanol
• Lidoflazine
• Linezolid
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Lithium
• Lofepramine
• Lofexidine
• Lopinavir
• Lorcainide
• Lorcaserin
• Lumefantrine
• Macimorelin
• Mefloquine
• Melitracen
• Meperidine
• Metaxalone
• Methadone
• Methamphetamine
• Methylene Blue
• Metronidazole
• Mifepristone
• Milnacipran
• Mirtazapine
• Mobocertinib
• Moclobemide
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Moxifloxacin
• Nafarelin
• Nalbuphine
• Naratriptan
• Nefazodone
• Nilotinib
• Norfloxacin
• Nortriptyline
• Octreotide
• Ofloxacin
• Olanzapine
• Ondansetron
• Opipramol
• Osilodrostat
• Osimertinib
• Oxaliplatin
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Ozanimod
• Pacritinib
• Paliperidone
• Panobinostat
• Paroxetine
• Pasireotide
• Pazopanib
• Pentamidine
• Pentazocine
• Phenelzine
• Phenobarbital
• Pimavanserin
• Pirmenol
• Pitolisant
• Ponesimod
• Posaconazole
• Prajmaline
• Primidone
• Probucol
• Procainamide
• Procarbazine
• Prochlorperazine
• Promethazine
• Propafenone
• Protriptyline
• Quetiapine
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Quizartinib
• Ranolazine
• Rasagiline
• Relugolix
• Remifentanil
• Ribociclib
• Risperidone
• Rizatriptan
• Selegiline
• Selpercatinib
• Sematilide
• Sertindole
• Sertraline
• Sevoflurane
• Sibutramine
• Siponimod
• Sodium Phosphate
• Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
• Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
• Solifenacin
• Sorafenib
• Sotalol
• Spiramycin
• St John's Wort
• Sufentanil
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Sulpiride
• Sultopride
• Sumatriptan
• Sunitinib
• Tacrolimus
• Tapentadol
• Tedisamil
• Telavancin
• Telithromycin
• Tetrabenazine
• Tianeptine
• Toremifene
• Tramadol
• Tranylcypromine
• Trazodone
• Triclabendazole
• Trifluoperazine
• Trimethoprim
• Trimipramine
• Triptorelin
• Tryptophan
• Vandetanib
• Vardenafil
• Vemurafenib
• Venlafaxine
• Vilanterol
• Vilazodone
• Vinflunine
• Voclosporin
• Voriconazole
• Vortioxetine
• Zolmitriptan
• Zotepine
• Zuclopenthixol

Other interactions—

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other medical problems—

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or
• Congestive heart failure or
• Kidney disease—Patients with these conditions should be monitored with an electrocardiogram (ECG) while using this medicine.

• Heart block, without a pacemaker or
• Heart rhythm problems (eg, congenital long QT syndrome)—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

• Heart disease or
• Heart rhythm problems (eg, atrial fibrillation, prolonged QT, PR, and QRS interval) or
• Sick sinus syndrome (type of abnormal heart rhythm)—Use with caution. May increase risk for more serious heart rhythm problems (such as torsade de pointes) and additional monitoring is required.

• Hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) or
• Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium in the blood)—Must be corrected first before using this medicine.

Proper Use of This Medicine:

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins.

This medicine is usually given 15 minutes before anesthesia (medicine to put you to sleep before surgery) or right after surgery if nausea and vomiting begin.

Dolasteron injection may be mixed into apple or apple-grape juice and be given orally for children 2 years of age and older. The mixed medicine may be stored up to 2 hours at room temperature before use.

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

Check with your doctor if severe nausea and vomiting continue after leaving the hospital.

This medicine can cause changes in heart rhythms, such as conditions called QT, PR, and QRS prolongation. It may change the way your heart beats and cause fainting or serious side effects in some patients. Contact your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of heart rhythm problems, such as fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeats.

Dolasetron may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if taken together with some medicines, such as fentanyl (Abstral®, Duragesic®), lithium (Eskalith®, Lithobid®), a MAO inhibitor (such as methylene blue injection, Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, Parnate®), medicines to treat migraine headaches, or medicine to treat depression (eg, fluoxetine, mirtazapine, paroxetine, Celexa®, Effexor®, Lexapro®, Paxil®, Zoloft®). Check with your doctor first before taking any other medicines with dolasetron.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common or rare

Agitation

blurred vision

burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings

chest pain or discomfort

chills

cold sweats

confusion

cough

delirium

diarrhea

difficulty with swallowing

dizziness

dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position

fainting

fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat

feeling of warmth

feeling uncoordinated

hallucinations

hives, itching, or skin rash

lightheadedness

puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue

redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest

rigid muscles

sweating

tightness in the chest

tremor

unusual tiredness or weakness

vomiting

Incidence not known

Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse

no blood pressure or pulse

stopping of heart

unconsciousness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Headache

Less common or rare

Acid or sour stomach

bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste

belching

burning sensation or pain at the injection site

change in taste

changes in vision

constipation

difficulty with breathing

difficulty with moving

feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings

heartburn

indigestion

joint pain

muscle aching or cramping

muscle pains or stiffness

noisy breathing

sensation of spinning

stomach discomfort, upset, or pain

strange dreams

swollen joints

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.