Doctor Steve Abel

Antinausea drug list

As with chemotherapy drugs, several different names can be used to refer to each of the antinausea drugs. The list below will help you find detailed information about each drug on the following pages:

Name	Look Under	Name	Look Under
Ativan	Lorazepam	Kytril	Granisetron
Benadryl	Diphenhydramine	Lorazepam	Lorazepam
Compazine	Prochlorperazine	Ondansetron	Ondansetron

Name	Look Under	Name	Look Under
Decadron	Dexamethasone	Phenergan	Promethazine
Dexamethasone	Dexamethasone	Prochlorperazine	Prochlorperazine
Hexadrol	Dexamethasone	Zofran	Ondansetron

Dexamethasone (dex-a-METH-a-sown)

Also called: Decadron, Hexadrol

How given: IV injection, usually given in combination with other antinausea drugs, or by mouth

Common side effects: Side effects are different than those experienced when it is given in high doses for long periods of time. When dexamethasone is used to treat nausea, side effects may be:

• Restlessness

Diphenhydramine (Die-fen-HIGH-dra-meen)

Also called: Benadryl

How given: Liquid, pills, or caplets by mouth, IV injection

When given: Usually given every six to eight hours.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness

• Impaired coordination

• May cause excitation in young children.

Granisetron

Also called: Kytril

How given: IV injection, pills by mouth

When given: Kytril is usually given one half hour prior to the start of chemotherapy infusion. Doses may be repeated every 12 to 24 hours.

Common side effects:

Infrequent side effects:

• Constipation

Sarah got Zofran at first, then the clinic switched to liquid Kytril. Sarah usually hates liquid meds (she much prefers pills), but she loves Kytril. She thinks it's really yummy And it works, too!

Lorazepam (lor-AZ-a-pam)

Also called: Ativan

How given: Pills by mouth, IV injection, intramuscular injection

When given: This is a tranquilizer, which is generally given in combination with other antinausea drugs.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness and sleepiness

• Poor short-term memory

• Impaired coordination

• Low blood pressure (hypotension)

• May cause excitation in young children

Ondansetron (on-DAN-se-tron)

Also called: Zofran

How given: IV injection, liquid by mouth, pills by mouth

When given: Usually 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy drugs, and every four to eight hours until nausea ends, or in a higher dose once a day.

Note: Zofran comes in flavored oral solutions. 1 teaspoon = 4 mg.

Common side effects:

• Headache with rapid IV administration

Infrequent side effects:

• Constipation

After Jeremy had his first inpatient treatment, he was allowed to go on an outpatient basis, wearing a cad pump at home. He felt fine, but every couple hours he would vomit for no reason. The next morning, when his oncologist asked him how it had gone, Jeremy was hesitant to tell him about the vomiting. When he did, the doctor asked us if the Zofran hadn't helped. I gave him a confused look and asked him what a Zofran was. I can laugh about it now, but it was an oversight. Everyone thought someone else had taken care of it! We rarely had any problems with nausea after that.

Prochlorperazine (pro-chlor-PAIR-a-zeen)

Also called: Compazine

How given: Pills or long-acting capsule by mouth, rectal suppository, intramuscular injection, IV injection

When given: Used alone if only mild nausea is expected.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness

• Low blood pressure (hypotension)

• Nervousness and restlessness

• Uncontrollable muscle spasms, especially of jaw, face, hands (dystonic reaction)

Promethazine (Pro-METH-ah-zeen)

Also called: Phenergan

How given: Pills by mouth, rectal suppository, intramuscular injection, IV injection When given: Usually given every four to six hours.

Common side effects:

• Drowsiness

• Inpaired coordination

• Blurred vision

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