title: The antiemetic effectiveness of droperidol during morphine patient-controlled analgesia.
abstract: This prospective, double-blind study examined the antiemetic effectiveness of the addition of droperidol to a morphine solution for use in patient-controlled analgesia in a group of 50 patients undergoing elective lumbar laminectomy. The addition of 20 mg droperidol to 120 mg morphine in 60 ml saline given by a Baxter 'Infusor' patient-controlled analgesia device reduced the incidence of vomiting as compared to the addition of sodium chloride from 42.8% to 12.5% (p = 0.028) and of nausea from 71.4% to 29.2% (p = 0.005). The proportion of patients requiring rescue antiemetic therapy was reduced from 47.6% to 16.7% (p = 0.025) and the time interval to the first use of rescue antiemetic agent was significantly prolonged (p = 0.029). The use of droperidol was associated with an increased degree of sedation during the first 12 h after operation.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Goat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004329:Droperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009325:Nausea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine; D004329:Droperidol