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AMBULATORY ANESTHESIOLOGY

Haloperidol Versus Ondansetron for Prophylaxis of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Carl E. Rosow, MD, PhD^*, Kenneth L. Haspel, MD, Sarah E. Smith, BS, Loreta Grecu, MD^*, and Edward A. Bittner, MD, PhD^*

From the *Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine; and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Address correspondence to Carl Rosow, MD, PhD, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114. Address e-mail to crosow{at}partners.org.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Haloperidol is effective for postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis, but there are almost no data comparing it to 5-HT₃ antagonists.

METHODS: Two hundred forty-four adults were randomized to receive IV haloperidol 1 mg or ondansetron 4 mg, during general anesthesia. Nausea, vomiting, need for rescue, sedation, extrapyramidal effects, QTc intervals, and time to postanesthesia care unit discharge were evaluated with a third-party blind design.

RESULTS: There was no intergroup difference in any measure of efficacy or toxicity. Haloperidol and ondansetron subjects (78.2% and 76.8%) had complete response. Postoperatively, prolonged QTc occurred in 28.9% and 22.1% (N.S.).

CONCLUSIONS: In a mixed surgical population, the efficacy and toxicity of postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis with haloperidol 1 mg was not significantly different from ondansetron 4 mg.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. S. Habib and T. J. Gan Haloperidol for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: Are We Reinventing the Wheel? Anesth. Analg., May 1, 2008; 106(5): 1343 - 1345. [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Grecu, E. A. Bittner, J. Kher, S. E. Smith, and C. E. Rosow Haloperidol Plus Ondansetron Versus Ondansetron Alone for Prophylaxis of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Anesth. Analg., May 1, 2008; 106(5): 1410 - 1413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. B. Ludwin and S. L. Shafer CON: The Black Box Warning on Droperidol Should Not Be Removed (But Should Be Clarified!) Anesth. Analg., May 1, 2008; 106(5): 1418 - 1420. [Full Text] [PDF]

Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999