Anesthesiologists' Treatment Choices for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Author Information
Author(s): Macario Alex, Claybon Louis, Pergolizzi Joseph V
Primary Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
What agents do anesthesiologists use for treating postoperative nausea and vomiting in the ambulatory Post-Anesthesia Care Unit?
Conclusion
5-HT3-antagonists are the most common choice for treating postoperative nausea and vomiting when no prophylaxis is used.
Supporting Evidence
- 67% of anesthesiologists would administer a 5-HT3 antagonist as first choice if no prophylaxis was given.
- 65% reported using non-pharmacologic interventions for PONV treatment.
- 26% of practitioners would re-dose the 5-HT3-antagonist for PONV treatment.
Takeaway
Doctors often use a medicine called 5-HT3-antagonists to help patients who feel sick after surgery, especially if they didn't take any medicine to prevent it beforehand.
Methodology
A questionnaire with hypothetical clinical vignettes was mailed to 300 randomly selected USA anesthesiologists.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the self-reported nature of the questionnaire and the low response rate.
Limitations
The response rate was low at 38%, which may introduce non-response bias.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of respondents was 47 years, with 85% male and 43% in academic practice.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 62% – 79%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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