[Survey on antiemetic therapy in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy and medical economics for standardization].
A cancer chemotherapy unit was established to support therapy for outpatients with cancer in Hirosaki University Hospital. It is essential to standardize antiemetic therapy, since a wide variety of the therapy provided to the unit from the diagnosis and treatment departments were conventional and empirical. We surveyed the use conditions and compatibility of the therapy based on reliable guidelines, and then considered the medical economics for standardization. In moderate-grade emetogenic chemotherapy, 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists tended to be used frequently instead of the recommended steroids. From this survey, the standardization of the cost of 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists and the relatively inexpensive steroids used in cancer chemotherapy might reduce either the nausea or vomiting suffered by patients with cancer and their economic burden as well.
Sato
Junya
J
Dept. of Pharmacy, Hirosaki University Hospital.
Terui
Kazufumi
K
Souma
Akemi
A
Fujita
Shoko
S
Hayakari
Makoto
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000932:Antiemetics