The acute effect of tropisetron on ECG parameters in cancer patients

• Published in: Supportive care in cancer 2008-09, Vol.16 (9), p.1011-1015
• Main Authors: Yavas, Ozlem, Yazici, Mehmet, Eren, Onder, Boruban, Cem, Artac, Mehmet, Genc, Mine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antiemetics - administration & dosage; Antiemetics - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Cardiotoxins - adverse effects; Cardiovascular Diseases - chemically induced; Cardiovascular System - drug effects; Electrocardiography; Electrocardiography - drug effects; Female; Heart rate; Heart Rate - drug effects; Humans; Indoles - administration & dosage; Indoles - adverse effects; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Nursing; Nursing Research; Oncology; Original Article; Pain Medicine; Pilot Projects; Rehabilitation Medicine
• ISSN: 0941-4355; 1433-7339
• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-007-0400-2

Objectives The 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists, including tropisetron, ondansetron, granisetron, and dolasetron are agents used effectively for supportive care. They are used for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced emesis. Despite their overall excellent safety profile, some electrocardiographic changes related to heart rate and repolarization were reported. Ondansetron, granisetron, and dolasetron were studied on this manner. But to our knowledge, there is no information about the cardiac side effects of tropisetron. In this study, we aimed to determine the acute effects of tropisetron on ECG parameters related to repolarization, heart rate, and systemic blood pressure. Materials and methods Fifty-five cancer patients who received tropisetron for the prevention of acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting were enrolled into this single center, prospective study. Standard 12-lead ECG recordings were performed at baseline and 30 min after tropisetron (5 mg given over 1 min IV bolus) administration. P wave durations and corrected QT intervals were measured; P wave dispersion and QTc dispersion were calculated. Results In comparison with baseline, mean heart rate significantly decreased 30 min after administration of tropisetron. Tropisetron did not result in a significant change in P wave duration, corrected QT interval, P dispersion, and QTc dispersion. Conclusion In this study, tropisetron did not show any ventricular and atrial arrhythmogenic effect because of repolarization abnormalities. Only it may cause a slight decrease in heart rate.