Formulary
Nabilone: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Nabilone clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Nabilone: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Nabilone clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Nausea and vomiting caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy, unresponsive to conventional antiemetics (preferably in hospital setting) (under close medical supervision)**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 1 mg twice daily, increased if necessary to 2 mg twice daily throughout each cycle of cytotoxic therapy and, if necessary, for 48 hours after the last dose of each cycle, the first dose should be taken the night before initiation of cytotoxic treatment and the second dose 1-3 hours before the first dose of cytotoxic drug, daily dose maximum should be given in 3 divided doses; maximum 6 mg per day.
**Nausea and vomiting caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy, unresponsive to conventional antiemetics (preferably in hospital setting) (under close medical supervision) for nabilone**
- **Child** (By mouth): (consult local protocol).
Cautions
Adverse effects on mental state can persist for 48-72 hours after stopping; elderly; heart disease; history of psychiatric disorder; hypertension
Side effects
Frequency not known Abdominal pain; appetite decreased; concentration impaired; confusion; depression; dizziness; drowsiness; drug dependence; dry mouth; euphoric mood; feeling of relaxation; hallucination; headache; hypotension; movement disorders; nausea; psychosis; sleep disorder; tachycardia; tremor; vertigo; visual impairment Side-effects, further information Drowsiness and dizziness occur frequently with standard doses.
Interactions
**Other interactions (2):**
- Nabilone should be administered with caution to patients who are taking other psychoactive drugs or CNS depressants, including alcohol, barbiturates and narcotic analgesics, or to those with a...
- Nabilone has been shown to have an additive CNS depressant effect when given with either diazepam, secobarbitone sodium, alcohol or codeine.
Pregnancy
Avoid unless essential.
Breast feeding
Avoid-no information available.
Hepatic impairment
Manufacturer advises avoid in severe impairment (primarily biliary excretion).
Medicinal forms
Capsule
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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