Ondansetron Hydrochloride (Page 3 of 5)

8.4 Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of orally administered ondansetron have been established in pediatric patients 4 years and older for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. Use of ondansetron in these age-groups is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies of ondansetron in adults with additional data from 3 open-label, uncontrolled, non-US trials in 182 pediatric patients aged 4 to 18 years with cancer who were given a variety of cisplatin or noncisplatin regimens [see Dosage and Administration (2.2), Clinical Studies (14.1)].

Additional information on the use of ondansetron in pediatric patients may be found in ondansetron injection prescribing information.

The safety and effectiveness of orally administered ondansetron have not been established in pediatric patients for:

  • prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.
  • prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with radiotherapy.
  • prevention of postoperative nausea and/or vomiting.

8.5 Geriatric Use

Of the total number of subjects enrolled in cancer chemotherapy-induced and postoperative nausea and vomiting in U.S.- and foreign-controlled clinical trials, for which there were subgroup analyses, 938 (19%) were aged 65 years and older.

No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between subjects 65 years of age and older and younger subjects. A reduction in clearance and increase in elimination half-life were seen in patients older than 75 years compared with younger subjects [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. There were an insufficient number of patients older than 75 years of age and older in the clinical trials to permit safety or efficacy conclusions in this age-group. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out. No dosage adjustment is needed in elderly patients.

8.6 Hepatic Impairment

No dosage adjustment is needed in patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment.

In patients with severe hepatic impairment, clearance is reduced and the apparent volume of distribution is increased, resulting in a significant increase in the half-life of ondansetron. Therefore, do not exceed a total daily dose of 8 mg in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score of 10 or greater) [see Dosage and Administration (2.2), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

8.7 Renal Impairment

No dosage adjustment is recommended for patients with any degree of renal impairment (mild, moderate, or severe). There is no experience beyond first-day administration of ondansetron [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].

9 DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE

Animal studies have shown that ondansetron is not discriminated as a benzodiazepine nor does it substitute for benzodiazepines in direct addiction studies.

10 OVERDOSAGE

There is no specific antidote for ondansetron overdose. Patients should be managed with appropriate supportive therapy.

In addition to the adverse reactions listed above, the following adverse reactions have been described in the setting of ondansetron overdose: “Sudden blindness” (amaurosis) of 2 to 3 minutes’ duration plus severe constipation occurred in one patient that was administered 72 mg of ondansetron intravenously as a single dose. Hypotension (and faintness) occurred in a patient that took 48 mg of ondansetron tablets. Following infusion of 32 mg over only a 4-minute period, a vasovagal episode with transient second-degree heart block was observed. In all instances, the adverse reactions resolved completely.

Pediatric cases consistent with serotonin syndrome have been reported after inadvertent oral overdoses of ondansetron (exceeding estimated ingestion of 5 mg per kg) in young children. Reported symptoms included somnolence, agitation, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypertension, flushing, mydriasis, diaphoresis, myoclonic movements, horizontal nystagmus, hyperreflexia, and seizure. Patients required supportive care, including intubation in some cases, with complete recovery without sequelae within 1 to 2 days.

11 DESCRIPTION

The active ingredient in ondansetron tablets, USP is ondansetron hydrochloride as the dihydrate, the racemic form of ondansetron and a selective blocking agent of the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor type. Chemically it is (±) 1, 2, 3, 9-tetrahydro-9-methyl-3-[(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-4H-carbazol-4-one, monohydrochloride, dihydrate. It has the following structural formula:

Chemical Structure
(click image for full-size original)

The empirical formula is C18 H19 N3 O∙HCl∙2H2 O, representing a molecular weight of 365.9.

Ondansetron HCl dihydrate is a white to off-white powder that is soluble in water and normal saline.

Each 4-mg ondansetron tablet for oral administration contains ondansetron HCl USP dihydrate equivalent to 4 mg of ondansetron. Each 8-mg ondansetron tablet for oral administration contains ondansetron HCl USP dihydrate equivalent to 8 mg of ondansetron. Each 24-mg ondansetron tablet for oral administration contains ondansetron HCl USP dihydrate equivalent to 24 mg of ondansetron. Each tablet also contains the inactive ingredients lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, pregelatinized starch, talc and titanium dioxide. In addition, the 4 mg also contains yellow iron oxide and the 24 mg also contains FD&C blue #2 aluminum lake and iron oxide red.

12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

12.1 Mechanism of Action

Ondansetron is a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. While its mechanism of action has not been fully characterized, ondansetron is not a dopamine-receptor antagonist. Serotonin receptors of the 5-HT3 type are present both peripherally on vagal nerve terminals and centrally in the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the area postrema. It is not certain whether ondansetron’s antiemetic action is mediated centrally, peripherally, or in both sites. However, cytotoxic chemotherapy appears to be associated with release of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells of the small intestine. In humans, urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) excretion increases after cisplatin administration in parallel with the onset of emesis. The released serotonin may stimulate the vagal afferents through the 5-HT3 receptors and initiate the vomiting reflex.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics

In healthy subjects, single intravenous doses of 0.15 mg/kg of ondansetron had no effect on esophageal motility, gastric motility, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, or small intestinal transit time. Multiday administration of ondansetron has been shown to slow colonic transit in healthy subjects. Ondansetron has no effect on plasma prolactin concentrations.

Cardiac Electrophysiology

QTc interval prolongation was studied in a double-blind, single-intravenous dose, placebo- and positive-controlled, crossover trial in 58 healthy subjects. The maximum mean (95% upper confidence bound) difference in QTcF from placebo after baseline correction was 19.5 (21.8) milliseconds and 5.6 (7.4) milliseconds after 15-minute intravenous infusions of 32 mg and 8 mg of ondansetron injection, respectively. A significant exposure-response relationship was identified between ondansetron concentration and ΔΔQTcF. Using the established exposure-response relationship, 24 mg infused intravenously over 15 minutes had a mean predicted (95% upper prediction interval) ΔΔQTcF of 14.0 (16.3) milliseconds. In contrast, 16 mg infused intravenously over 15 minutes using the same model had a mean predicted (95% upper prediction interval) ΔΔQTcF of 9.1 (11.2) milliseconds. In this study, the 8-mg dose infused over 15 minutes did not prolong the QT interval to any clinically relevant extent.

12.3 Pharmacokinetics

Absorption

Ondansetron is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and undergoes some first-pass metabolism. Mean bioavailability in healthy subjects, following administration of a single 8-mg tablet, is approximately 56%.

Ondansetron systemic exposure does not increase proportionately to dose. The area under curve (AUC) from a 16-mg tablet was 24% greater than predicted from an 8-mg tablet dose. This may reflect some reduction of first-pass metabolism at higher oral doses.

Food Effects: Bioavailability is also slightly enhanced by the presence of food.

Distribution

Plasma protein binding of ondansetron as measured in vitro was 70% to 76% over the concentration range of 10 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL. Circulating drug also distributes into erythrocytes.

Elimination

Metabolism and Excretion: Ondansetron is extensively metabolized in humans, with approximately 5% of a radiolabeled dose recovered as the parent compound from the urine. The metabolites are observed in the urine. The primary metabolic pathway is hydroxylation on the indole ring followed by subsequent glucuronide or sulfate conjugation.

In vitro metabolism studies have shown that ondansetron is a substrate for human hepatic cytochrome P-450 enzymes, including CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. In terms of overall ondansetron turnover, CYP3A4 played the predominant role. Because of the multiplicity of metabolic enzymes capable of metabolizing ondansetron, it is likely that inhibition or loss of one enzyme (e.g., CYP2D6 genetic deficiency) will be compensated by others and may result in little change in overall rates of ondansetron elimination.

Although some nonconjugated metabolites have pharmacologic activity, these are not found in plasma at concentrations likely to significantly contribute to the biological activity of ondansetron.

Specific Populations

Age: Geriatric Population: A reduction in clearance and increase in elimination half-life are seen in patients older than 75 years compared to younger subjects [see Use in Specific Populations (8.5)].

Sex: Gender differences were shown in the disposition of ondansetron given as a single dose. The extent and rate of absorption are greater in women than men. Slower clearance in women, a smaller apparent volume of distribution (adjusted for weight), and higher absolute bioavailability resulted in higher plasma ondansetron concentrations. These higher plasma concentrations may in part be explained by differences in body weight between men and women. It is not known whether these sex-related differences were clinically important. More detailed pharmacokinetic information is contained in Tables 5 and 6.

Table 5: Pharmacokinetics in Male and Female Healthy Subjects after a Single Dose of an Ondansetron 8-mg Tablet
Age-group(years)Sex (M/F) Mean Weight(kg) N Peak Plasma Concentration(ng/mL) Time of Peak Plasma Concentration(h) Mean Elimination Half-life(h) Systemic Plasma ClearanceL/h/kg Absolute Bioavailability
18 to 40 M 69.0 6 26.2 2.0 3.1 0.403 0.483
F 62.7 5 42.7 1.7 3.5 0.354 0.663
61 to 74 M 77.5 6 24.1 2.1 4.1 0.384 0.585
F 60.2 6 52.4 1.9 4.9 0.255 0.643
≥75 M 78.0 5 37.0 2.2 4.5 0.277 0.619
F 67.6 6 46.1 2.1 6.2 0.249 0.747
Table 6: Pharmacokinetics in Male and Female Healthy Subjects after a Single Dose of an Ondansetron 24-mg Tablet
Age-group(years)Sex (M/F) Mean Weight(kg) N Peak Plasma Concentration(ng/mL) Time of Peak Plasma Concentration(h) Mean Elimination Half-life(h)
18 to 43 M 84.1 8 125.8 1.9 4.7
F 71.8 8 194.4 1.6 5.8

Renal Impairment: Renal impairment is not expected to significantly influence the total clearance of ondansetron as renal clearance represents only 5% of the overall clearance. However, the mean plasma clearance of ondansetron was reduced by about 50% in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min). The reduction in clearance was variable and not consistent with an increase in half-life [see Use in Specific Populations (8.7)].

Hepatic Impairment: In patients with mild-to-moderate hepatic impairment, clearance is reduced 2-fold and mean half-life is increased to 11.6 hours compared with 5.7 hours in healthy subjects. In patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score of 10 or greater), clearance is reduced 2-fold to 3-fold and apparent volume of distribution is increased with a resultant increase in half-life to 20 hours [see Dosage and Administration (2.2), Use in Specific Populations (8.6)].

Drug Interaction Studies

CYP3A4 Inducers: Ondansetron elimination may be affected by cytochrome P-450 inducers. In a pharmacokinetic trial of 16 epileptic patients maintained chronically on CYP3A4 inducers, carbamazepine, or phenytoin, a reduction in AUC, Cmax , and t½ of ondansetron was observed. This resulted in a significant increase in the clearance of ondansetron. However, this increase is not thought to be clinically relevant [see Drug Interactions (7.2)].

Chemotherapeutic Agents: Carmustine, etoposide, and cisplatin do not affect the pharmacokinetics of ondansetron [see Drug Interactions (7.4)].

Antacids: Concomitant administration of antacids does not alter the absorption of ondansetron.

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