Antiemetics

Definition

Antiemetics are medications or substances used to prevent or alleviate nausea and vomiting, which are common symptoms associated with various medical conditions, treatments, and medications. These symptoms can significantly impact a person's quality of life, especially when receiving nutrition support through enteral or parenteral methods. Understanding how antiemetics work is essential for managing patients who may experience nausea and vomiting due to mechanical or infectious complications during nutritional therapy.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Antiemetics can be classified into different categories based on their mechanism of action, including serotonin antagonists, dopamine antagonists, and anticholinergics.
2. Commonly used antiemetics in clinical settings include ondansetron, metoclopramide, and promethazine, each targeting specific pathways involved in the vomiting reflex.
3. Patients receiving nutrition support may experience nausea and vomiting due to factors such as infections, gastrointestinal dysmotility, or complications related to feeding tubes.
4. Proper management of nausea and vomiting with antiemetics can enhance tolerance to enteral feeding, improve nutrient absorption, and promote overall patient recovery.
5. It's important for healthcare providers to assess the underlying causes of nausea and vomiting before administering antiemetics to ensure appropriate treatment.

Review Questions

• How do antiemetics function in preventing nausea and vomiting during nutrition support?
  • Antiemetics work by blocking specific receptors in the brain or gastrointestinal tract that trigger nausea and vomiting. By inhibiting these pathways, they help alleviate these distressing symptoms. When a patient is on nutrition support and experiences these symptoms due to mechanical or infectious complications, administering antiemetics can help improve their comfort level and adherence to nutritional therapy.
• What are some common classes of antiemetics used in clinical practice, and how do they differ in their mechanisms of action?
  • Common classes of antiemetics include serotonin antagonists like ondansetron, dopamine antagonists like metoclopramide, and anticholinergics like scopolamine. Serotonin antagonists block the action of serotonin at specific receptors in the brain, effectively reducing nausea. Dopamine antagonists work by inhibiting dopamine receptors that can trigger emesis, while anticholinergics block acetylcholine's action on the vestibular system, which is involved in motion sickness-related nausea.
• Evaluate the importance of addressing nausea and vomiting in patients receiving nutrition support and the implications for their overall health.
  • Addressing nausea and vomiting in patients receiving nutrition support is crucial for maintaining their nutritional status and promoting recovery. If left unmanaged, these symptoms can lead to decreased nutrient intake, poor hydration status, and overall deterioration in health. Effective use of antiemetics can enhance a patient's ability to tolerate enteral feeding or oral intake, thus supporting their healing process and improving their quality of life. Additionally, understanding the underlying causes allows healthcare providers to implement comprehensive care strategies tailored to individual needs.

Related terms

Nausea: A feeling of unease or discomfort in the stomach often accompanied by the urge to vomit.

Vomiting: The involuntary act of expelling the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

Emesis: The medical term for vomiting, which can be triggered by various factors including medications, infections, and gastrointestinal disorders.