Grant: Rapid Funding for DSEN Targeted Research

5-HT3 receptor antagonists are available for use in managing nausea and vomiting that occurs after surgery or chemotherapy. Ondansetron, granisetron and dolasetron are approved for use in Canada. Concerns have been raised about use of these agents and an abnormality of the heart rhythm which is measured on an ECG recordings. If this risk is real and if all of these medications are associated with this, it could lead to limitations in use of these these medications in children and adults and to the need to use other agents which aren't as effective at managing vomiting. Or, it could lead to a need for regular ECG monitoring of the patients who use these agents which would inflict cost to the system and burden to the patients. We will try to address this issue by looking at all of the available studies on the safety of these medications and what strategies may be used to increase their safe use and putting all of the relevant studies together to provide an answer. This information will be useful to Health Canada who are make decisions about the approval of medications and to patients who use these medications and their clinicians who prescribe them.