
Nausea and Vomiting
Principles of Treatment:
- Chart antiemetics regularly.
- Combinations are often required.
- Treat cause(s) if possible.
- Consider the mechanisms of action of the individual antiemetics.
- Review if unresponsive to standard therapy – consider unrecognised physical causes or psychological distress.
Consider the underlying cause(s) which may include:
- Hypercalcaemia, uraemia.
- Drugs – antibiotics, opioids, cytotoxics.
- Hepatomegaly, gastric stasis, constipation, intestinal obstruction.
- Abdominal radiotherapy.
- Raised intracranial pressure, vestibular syndromes.
- Fear and anxiety.
Topic Code: 4083