Antiemetic prophylaxis: pharmacology and therapeutics.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), a common problem with complex causes, may result in substantial complications. This Journal course discusses the pathogenesis of PONV and reviews antiemetic pharmacology. Corticosteroids, gastrointestinal prokinetics, neuroleptic butyrophenones, phenothiazines, and serotonin receptor antagonists may be prescribed alone or in combination. State-of-the-art anesthetic techniques for prevention of PONV are described. Multimodal therapy with combined low-dose antiemetics affecting multiple receptors is suggested to prevent PONV in high-risk patients such as nonsmokers, females with a previous history of nausea, and patients with high postoperative narcotic requirements.