Side effects of kytril

What is Kytril and how does it work?

Since nausea and vomiting are among the most common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, one of the medications that is very frequently used in the treatment of such symptoms is Kytril. It is always prescribed, and it has to be taken about an hour prior to the procedure, but it cannot be used in the treatment of the mentioned symptoms when they are caused by some other conditions. Since, serotonin is a chemical that is related to these symptoms, Kytril works by blocking it at only one particular type of receptor, but it does not affect other receptors in the body.

Side effects of Kytril and how to avoid some of them

Having in mind the seriousness of conditions in which this medication is taken, we have to mention that even though the patients generally react well to it, there certainly are those who experience some side effects, and there is a wide range of the possible ones.

According to the results of the studies on side effects of Kytril, it turned out that weakness, constipation and headaches are experienced in more than 10 % of the cases, while pain in the stomach, heartburn, diarrhea, the loss of hair and insomnia are experienced in less than 10 %. Luckily, the majority of these side effects will disappear in a few days the most, without the medical attention and additional treatment. On the other side, symptoms that need medical care as soon as they are noticed include arrhythmia, anxiety, pain in the chest and changes in the blood pressure. Allergic reactions and signs that indicate them may also be potentially dangerous and even life-threatening, which is why they should be reported to the nearest doctor or pharmacist right away.

It is possible to minimize the risks of some of the side effects if the patients inform the doctor about allergies that they might have, about certain other conditions that they might be suffering from, particularly if they have heart or liver disease, and about all the medications, supplements or even vitamins that they might be taking at that moment. The use of Kytril is not recommended in combination with mediations that cause the change of the heart rhythm, with Phenobarbital and certain others, either because it may reduce the effectiveness of them, or because they may reduce its effectiveness. The changes of the heart rhythm may cause serious consequences.