Aloxi (Palonosetron)

What is Aloxi?

Aloxi is an antinauseant and antiemetic agent.

What is Aloxi used for?

Aloxi is recommended to prevent nausea and vomiting tendencies following a chemotherapy treatment.

How does Aloxi work?

Aloxi works by blocking the hormone Serotonin that causes vomiting tendencies.

How to use Aloxi

Aloxi should be taken under the supervision of a health care professional. Care should be taken that the drug is taken as prescribed by the doctor. Specifically, one should ensure that the drug is not taken in larger amounts or for a longer duration than recommended.

Aloxi is intravenously injected by a health care professional an hour before the chemotherapy session. However, if it is a surgery then the drug is to be administered right before the operation.

Before the drug is administered it should be checked for discoloration or presence of particles. If they are present then the drug should not used.

Aloxi warnings and precautions

Do not use Aloxi if you are allergic to palonosetron or similar drugs. The drug contains inactive ingredients which can lead to complications; therefore, it is suggested that you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor before going ahead with the treatment.

Palonosetron is known to cause a condition called QT prolongation, the symptoms of which include fast/irregular heartbeat, dizziness and fainting. The condition is rarely fatal; however, it requires prompt medical attention. To avoid such scenarios one should inform the health care professional about any history of heart problems including heart failure, QT prolongation, and slow heart beat. The health care professional should also be informed about any heart disease in the family, especially instances of QT prolongation and sudden cardiac death. 

The risk of QT prolongation increases if there is a deficiency of magnesium and potassium in the blood, or if you are suffering from excessive sweating, diarrhea or vomiting.

Aloxi causes dizziness therefore it is advised that you should not indulge in any activity that requires high degrees of alertness. The intake of alcoholic beverages should also be restricted to a minimum. Lactating mothers are advised to consult their doctor before breast feeding their infant, if they are taking Aloxi, because it is still not known whether the drug passes into the breast milk.

What do I do if I have missed a Aloxi dose?

If you have missed your Aloxi dose, you should inform your doctor. Do not take an extra dose to catch up.

What do I do if I have taken a Aloxi overdose?

An overdose of Aloxi does not cause life threatening situations; however, one should seek emergency medical help to be on the safe side.

Aloxi interactions

Before using Aloxi you should inform your doctor about all the prescription and non prescription medication that you are using especially drugs like apomorphine. Certain drugs combine with palonosetron to cause QT prolongation. Therefore, mention to your doctor if you are using pimozide, dofetilide, miodarone, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, sparfloxacin, etc.

Also, do not start taking any new medicine on your own.

Aloxi side effects

Contact your doctor if you experience side effects of Aloxi like fainting, fast/irregular heartbeat, and severe dizziness. This drug may also cause serious allergic reactions like itching and swelling, and trouble breathing.   

Less serious side effects from Aloxi may include headache, diarrhea, dizziness or constipation. If any of these symptoms persists one should consult a doctor.