UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: Ondansetron Induced Dystonia

Keywords: ondansetron, dystonia (PubMed Search)

Posted: 2/6/2014 by Fermin Barrueto, MD (Updated: 4/25/2024)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD

Ondansetron (Zofran) is a great anti-emetic that, since it has gone generic, is also inexpensive. High dose ondansetron has been reported to cause QT prolongation and that practice is largerly discontinued now in the oncology world. Another uncommon adverse drug reaction may be dystonia. Though we think of ondansetron as a 5-HT3 blocker and should not cause the dystonic reaction like we see in metoclopramide, there are case reports of this reaction occurring.

 

 

 

 

 

Ondansetron-induced dystonia, hypoglycemia, and seizures in a child.
Patel A, Mittal S, Manchanda S, Puliyel JM.
Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Jan;45(1):e7.