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Drug-induced nausea or vomiting
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Drug-induced nausea or vomiting

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Contributors: Michael W. Winter MD, Paritosh Prasad MD
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Synopsis

Drug-induced nausea or vomiting : Nausea, Vomiting
Nausea, retching, and/or vomiting may be associated with the use of a medication. Nausea and emesis are common adverse drug effects, often occurring shortly after starting a medication and frequently associated with abdominal pain, headaches, and diarrhea. In some instances, drug-induced nausea and emesis resolves with continued use of the offending agent over a few weeks. In other cases, symptoms persist and medication changes should be made. Some patients find that symptoms are improved by taking the medication on an empty stomach, with food, prior to bedtime, or at a lower dose. If symptoms persist and a medication is necessary at its prescribed dose, supportive therapy with antiemetics can frequently provide relief.

There are several mechanisms by which drugs may cause nausea. Some agents result in gastrointestinal mucosal irritation or ulceration (eg, NSAIDs, doxycycline). Other agents activate the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the area postrema via dopaminergic receptors. The specific neural pathways by which nausea is triggered may help guide its management.

Many medications are associated with nausea and vomiting (see Drug Reaction Data below).

Codes

ICD10CM:
R11.0 – Nausea
R11.10 – Vomiting, unspecified
R11.2 – Nausea with vomiting, unspecified

SNOMEDCT:
419219000 – Drug-induced nausea and vomiting

Look For

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Diagnostic Pearls

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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls

Best Tests

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Management Pearls

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Therapy

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Drug Reaction Data

Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.

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References

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Last Reviewed:01/10/2018
Last Updated:06/14/2018
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Drug-induced nausea or vomiting
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A medical illustration showing key findings of Drug-induced nausea or vomiting : Nausea, Vomiting
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