Efficacy of Low Dose Promethazine for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2012-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
There has been an increase in ambulatory surgical procedures performed across Canada;
ambulatory procedures account for almost 70% of all surgeries. Postoperative nausea and
vomiting (PONV) and pain are the most frequently reported adverse events by patients prior to
discharge after ambulatory surgery. The incidence can be as high as 70 to 80% in high-risk
patients.
PONV is a cause of morbidity particularly in gynecological procedures and the incidence of
patients experiencing PONV is as high as 58-75%. Apart from delayed recovery, the occurrence
of PONV has been linked to gastric aspiration, psychological distress and wound dehiscence.
The occurrence of PONV delays patient discharge and further more is a leading cause of
unexpected admission after ambulatory anesthesia
Promethazine, is an antiemetic medication that has been widely used over the last 50 years,
and although effective at reducing PONV, it tends to cause sedation. In this study, we are
trying to determine if a smaller dose of promethazine, in addition to the standard treatment
for post-surgical nausea and vomiting, will be more beneficial than the standard treatment on
its own.
It is hypothesized that the use of low dose promethazine (3 mg) as part of a multimodal
antiemetic regimen will be efficacious in preventing PONV without the sedative effects of
promethazine.