Influence of droperidol on nausea and vomiting during patient-controlled analgesia

• Published in: British Journal of Anaesthesia 1994-04, Vol.72 (4), p.460-461
• Main Authors: BARROW, P.M., HUGHES, D.G., REDFERN, N., URIE, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; Biological and medical sciences; Digestive system; Droperidol - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Morphine - therapeutic use; Nausea - prevention & control; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Postoperative Complications - prevention & control; Prochlorperazine - administration & dosage; Vomiting - prevention & control; Vomiting: antiemetics; Vomiting: nausea
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/72.4.460

We have studied the addition of droperidol to morphine during patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in 57 patients using PCA after abdominal hysterectomy. Patients in group 1 (control group)received placebo at induction of anaesthesia and a PCA containing morphine; those in group 2 received droperidol 1.25 mg and a PCA containing morphine and those in group 3 droperidol and a PCA containing droperidol 0.05 mg mg−1 of morphine. Patients in the control group suffered 51 episodes of nausea compared with 35 in the droperidol bolus group and 18 in the droperidol PCA group (P < 0.01). In the droperidol PCA group, only 10 doses of additional antiemetic therapy were required compared with 24 in the droperidol bolus group and 28 in the control group (P < 0.05). We did not observe side effects attributable to droperidol. We conclude that droperidol added to morphine in PCA reduces nausea and antiemetic requirements after abdominal hysterectomy (Br. J. Anaesth. 1994; 72: 460–461)