Reassessing the benefits and risks of alosetron: what is its place in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome?
Author(s): Andresen V, Hollerbach S Affiliation(s): Department of Medicine, Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, University-Medicine Charite, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany. Publication date & source: 2004, Drug Saf., 27(5):283-92. Publication type: Review Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) cause substantial morbidity and a high amount of healthcare utilisation. However, no direct mortality can be attributed to functional disorders. Hence, drug treatment of IBS must not only be highly efficient to relieve clinical symptoms but also very safe for the long-term use in humans with such chronic disorders. Alosetron is a potent and highly selective serotonin 5-HT(3 )receptor antagonist that in large randomised controlled clinical trials has been shown to be clinically efficient in female patients with diarrhoea-predominant IBS. The efficacy data along with a low number of serious adverse effects in the preclinical and clinical trials su
