Valoid tablets

Health and Nutrition > Medicines > V



How does it work?

Valoid tablets contain the active ingredient cyclizine hydrochloride, which is a type of medicine called an antihistamine. It is used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting associated with middle ear disorders, motion (travel sickness) and following surgery or radiotherapy.

Vomiting is controlled by an area of the brain called the vomiting centre. The vomiting centre is responsible for causing feelings of sickness (nausea) and for the vomiting reflex. It is activated when it receives nerve messages from the vestibular apparatus in the middle ear.

The vestibular apparatus provides continual feedback to the brain about our body position. When something disturbs the vestibular apparatus, such as head movement following surgery or motion when travelling by boat or car, nerve signals are sent from the vestibular apparatus to the vomiting centre. This can cause sensations such as nausea, dizziness or spinning sensations (vertigo) and the reflex of vomiting.

Cyclizine works by blocking histamine and muscarinic receptors in the vomiting centre, which prevents the vomiting centre from receiving nerve messages from the vestibular apparatus. This prevents disturbances in the middle ear from activating the vomiting centre and causing nausea, vertigo and vomiting.

Cyclizine may also prevent the vomiting centre from receiving messages from an area of the brain called the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ). The CTZ is stimulated by agents circulating in the blood, for example anaesthetics and opioid painkillers such as morphine. Cyclizine helps prevent these agents from activating the vomiting centre and causing sickness.

What is it used for?

- Preventing and treating travel sickness
- Preventing and treating nausea and vomiting following surgery or radiotherapy
- Relieving nausea, vomiting and attacks of vertigo associated with Meniere's disease and other middle ear disorders

Warning!

- This medicine may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinary. Alcohol should be avoided.

Use with caution in

- Decresed kidney function
- Liver disease
- Severe heart failure
- Enlarged prostate gland
- Glaucoma
- Obstruction of the stomach or intestines
- Epilepsy.

Not to be used in

- Children under six years of age
- Hereditary blood disorders called porphyrias
- Rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption (Valoid tablets contain lactose).

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

- The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been fully established. As with all medicines, it should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks to the foetus. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Label warnings

- This medication may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcoholic drink.

The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. The materials in this web site cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. Conditions for use © Copyright 1998 - 2009 NetDoctor.co.uk - All rights reserved