Antiemetic – drug to combat nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting is a common symptoms of various medical conditions. It may be cause by problems in the digestive tract or from the sensory sistem in the brain. It also may be caused by infection, chemotherapy drug, or even induced by pregnancy. Vomiting alone has a long list of differential diagnosis and makes it worth to get even a little knowledge about it.
Antiemetic is a type of drug that is use to prevent and to treat nausea and vomiting. This agent acts by inhibiting the receptor sites associated with vomiting (emesis). Typically, it is used to treat motion sickness and the side-effects of some opioid analgesics and chemotherapy directed against cancer.
Anti-emetic medications
|
Drug class |
Examples |
Side effects |
|
Antihistamines |
Doxylamine Dimenhydramine Diphenhydramine Promethazine Cetrizine Meclizine |
Sedation, blurred vision, urinary retention, dry mouth, tachycardia |
|
Phenothiazines |
Prochlorperazine Cholpromazine |
Sedation, hypotension, extrapyramidal side effects, dry mouth, urinary retention, tachycardia, restlessness |
|
Benzamides |
Metaclopramidetrimethobenzamide |
Drowsiness, restlessness, fatigue, anxiety, extrapyramidal reactions |
|
5-HT3 antagonists |
Ondansetron Dolasetron Granisetron |
Headache, dizziness, mild drowsiness, constipation, arrythmias (rare) |
|
Corticosteroids |
Methylprednisolone Prednisone |
increase risk for facial clefts if given in first trimester |
|
Butyrophenones |
Droperidol |
Limited use-FDA warning re fatal arrhtymias |
As a contrary, emetic agent is use to induce vomiting. It maybe take orally or administered by injection. A common use emetic is ipecac syrup. An emetic is used medically where a substance has been ingested and must be expelled from the body immediately before it is absorbed into the body. However, it is important to remember that ipecac abuse can lead to detrimental health effects.
Reference:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomiting
- Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties. 5th edition. 2001.
- Progress in Obstetric and Gynaecology. Churchill Livingston. Volume 17. 2006.
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But which pharmaceutical companies measure the interaction between, say, their emetic and another pharmaceutical’s corticosteroid?
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Don’t forget aprepitant, a substance P antagonist which is very effective for nausea caused by chemotherapy.
And of course ginger helps many people too, even though it’s not a prescription drug.
Excellent! Thanks.