Acute Medicine | Palliative care | Management of nausea and vomiting

Management of nausea and vomiting
Session overview
Description
This session provides a framework for the drug and non-drug management of nausea and vomiting in end-of-life care.

This session was reviewed by Sarah Hanrott and last updated in March 2024.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• name some reversible factors that can be treated to alleviate nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced illness
• list non-drug measures useful in nausea and vomiting
• list the main drug options used in symptom management of nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced illness
• outline the site and mode of action of the different drugs
• match the use of a drug with the probable underlying cause of nausea and vomiting to provide the best initial management
• describe the usefulness and limitations of different routes of administration

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you may like to complete:

• Causes of nausea and vomiting (215-0415)
• Assessment of nausea and vomiting (215-0416)

Nausea and vomiting are common in patients with end-stage diseases (cancer or non-cancer), but both symptoms can be effectively treated.

There are several possible causes of nausea and vomiting, some of which are reversible.

Examples include gastric stasis and dysmotility (in which stomach contents remain, rather than being pushed through to the small bowel), intestinal obstruction and raised intracranial pressure.

Worries about the future can often make nausea worse, so it is important to address other concerns too.