Patient/caregiver was instructed upon therapeutic uses and mechanism of action of zofran as follows:
- Serotonin is a chemical mediator released from the enterochromaffin cells in the small intestine, in response to injury and inflammation.
- Injury to these cells can occur, leading to serotonin release, secondary to use of chemotherapy agents, radiation, and any surgical procedures involving the small intestine.
- Apart from binding to serotonin receptors located in various body parts, serotonin also binds to the receptors located along the nerve terminals of the gut and in the vomiting center, located in the brain.
- Stimulation of these serotonin receptors along the gut and in the vomiting center of the brain result in nausea and vomiting, which can lead to complications such as aspiration.
- Zofran is a medication that selectively blocks serotonin receptors along the gut and the vomiting center of the brain, thus controlling the nausea and vomiting.
- Zofran is used to control nausea and vomiting secondary to chemo and radiation in cancer patients. Zofran also helps with control of emesis, in individuals who underwent explorative surgery involving the intestines. By controlling the nausea and vomiting, zofran reduces the associated discomfort and risk for aspiration.
