title: Incidence and aetiology of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
abstract: The reported incidence of emetic symptoms in surgical patients varies from 8-92%. Intractable postoperative nausea and vomiting remains one of the most unpleasant side-effects experienced by patients postoperatively, both in ambulatory and non-ambulatory care, and has potential risks for severe postoperative complications. Multiple factors are associated with an increased risk of developing postoperative nausea and vomiting: age, gender, pre-existing disease, premedication, operative procedure, anaesthetic and analgesic drugs, anaesthetic procedure, and postoperative symptoms. Prophylactic use of anti-emetic premedication is not currently routine practice because not all patients are at serious risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and currently available anti-emetics carry undesirable side-effects. However, anti-emetic prophylaxis is very valuable for patients at increased risk. If symptoms do develop in the recovery room, several factors need to be considered in order for anti-emetic treatment to be successful. Adequate hydration and pain control should be ensured, tight-fitting oxygen masks avoided, and patients should be encouraged to take slow, deep breaths to decrease the sensation of nausea. To avoid side-effects, anti-emetics should be administered in minimally effective doses. If the administration of anti-emetics is initially unsuccessful, it may be useful to try a combination of anti-emetic drugs with different mechanisms of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Flemish Free University School of Medicine, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lauwers
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Verbessem
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D017294:Ondansetron