Dexamethasone for prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Caesarean section analgesia: comparison of droperidol and saline

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 85; no. 6; pp. 865 - 868
• Main Authors: Tzeng, J.I., Wang, J.J., Ho, S.T., Tang, C.S., Liu, Y.C., Lee, S.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2000; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Analgesia, Epidural - adverse effects; Analgesia, Obstetrical - adverse effects; Analgesics, Opioid - adverse effects; Antiemetics - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cesarean Section; Dexamethasone - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Droperidol - therapeutic use; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Humans; Medical sciences; Morphine - adverse effects; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting - chemically induced; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting - prevention & control; Pregnancy; Toxicity: digestive system; vomiting, antiemetics; vomiting, incidence; vomiting, nausea; vomiting, incidence; vomiting, nausea; vomiting, antiemetics; vomiting, antiemetics; vomiting, incidence; vomiting, nausea; Human; Postoperative; Corticosteroid; Dexamethasone; Toxicity; Morphine; Opiates; Butyrophenone derivatives; Nausea; Prevention; Analgesia; Chemotherapy; Pain; Treatment; Vomiting; Surgery; Extradural administration; Digestive diseases; Female; Delivery; Droperidol; Antiemetic; Cesarean section; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/85.6.865

We have evaluated the prophylactic effect of i.v. dexamethasone 8 mg in preventing nausea and vomiting during epidural morphine for post-Caesarean section analgesia. Droperidol 1.25 mg and saline served as the control. We studied 120 parturients (n=40 in each group) receiving epidural morphine for post-Caesarean section analgesia, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. All parturients received epidural morphine 3 mg. Both dexamethasone and droperidol significantly decreased the total incidence of nausea and vomiting compared with saline, with incidences of 18, 21 and 51% for the three treatments respectively (P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). Parturients who received droperidol reported a more frequent incidence of restlessness (16%) than those who received dexamethasone (P<0.05).