Timing of Ondansetron Use for Maximum Efficacy in Preventing Pruritus in Patients Undergoing Cesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia with Preservative Free Morphine.

Summary

Opioids are often added with a local anesthetic to enhance the duration and quality of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery patients. However, spinal opioids are associated with a wide variety of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, (N/V) and pruritus (itching). The occurrence of pruritus can vary between 30% and 100% making pruritus the most common side-effect of intrathecal opioids and this rate is even higher in pregnant patients. Pruritus may require treatment which can be ineffective or sometimes reverse the analgesic effect of the opioids. Ondansetron is a safe and very commonly used Serotonin receptor antagonist treatment for local anesthetic opioid-induced pruritus used in pregnancy. The effect of different administration times of ondansetron in reducing pruritus or N/V in cesarean section (CS) cases has not been extensively studied and thus, this prospective study can help guide future clinical management of side effects caused by spinal intrathecal morphine administration.

Description

Eligibility

Age range

18–50 years

Sex

Female

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Interventions

• Drug
  Ondansetron 8mg

  administration of an IV solution of 8mg ondansetron (4ml)

Location