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Ondansetron is effective in decreasing postoperative nausea and vomiting
Author(s) -
Dershwitz Mark,
Rosow Carl E,
Di Biase Patricia M,
Joslyn Alan F,
Sanderson Polly E
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1992.107
Subject(s) - ondansetron , nausea , vomiting , anesthesia , medicine , placebo , adverse effect , postoperative nausea and vomiting , antiemetic , alternative medicine , pathology
The efficacy of ondansetron, a selective 5‐HT 3 receptor antagonist, in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in surgical patients was studied. Fifty women were randomized in a double‐blind manner to receive either two 8 mg doses of intravenous ondansetron or two doses of placebo vehicle: the first given just before general anesthesia induction and the second 8 hours later. During the first 24 postoperative hours, the number of emetic episodes was recorded and the subjects rated their nausea on a scale from 0 to 10. Ondansetron‐treated subjects had fewer emetic episodes ( p < 0.001) and lower subjective nausea scores ( p < 0.001). The number of complete responders (no emetic episodes and no rescue therapy) was 1 of 24 (4%) and 15 of 26 (58%) in the placebo and ondansetron groups, respectively ( p < 0.001). Ondansetron is clearly more effective than placebo in the prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The adverse event profile for ondansetron was similar to that of placebo. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 52, 96–101; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1992.107