Alosetron (oral route)

Lotronex

Alosetron is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women who have diarrhea as their main symptom. This medicine is only used in severe cases of IBS that have not responded to other therapy. IBS is also known as irritable colon or spastic colon. IBS may be caused by a chemical called serotonin, which causes your intestinal system to be overactive. Alosetron works by blocking the action of serotonin on the intestine. This reduces the cramping abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, urgency (sudden need for a bowel movement), and diarrhea caused by IBS. Alosetron does not cure IBS and may not help every person who takes it. Alosetron is available through a restricted marketing program. Only doctors enrolled in the prescribing program can write a prescription for alosetron. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

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: 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. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of alosetron in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Because of alosetron's risk of serious side effects, use in children is not recommended. Appropriate studies performed to date have demonstrated that older adults may have an increased risk of serious side effects (e.g., constipation) with alosetron compared to younger adults. Alosetron should be used with caution in the elderly. 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. 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 taking 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. 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. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. 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. 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: