Definition
In the medical field, vomiting (or emesis) delineates the rapid and sudden emission of food, other substances and part of the gastric contents through the mouth; vomiting is often preceded by more or less pronounced nausea and spasmodic breathing movements (retching) .
Causes
The causes that are at the base of vomiting are very varied and disparate, and range in different areas: metabolic alterations (keto-acidosis, diabetes, hyperparathyroidism, Addison's disease), drug use, prolonged fasting, acute pain, excessive intake of food or liquids, emotional elements, drugs (chemotherapy), pregnancy, inflammation of the peritoneum (appendicitis, peritonitis), diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, enteritis), intestinal obstruction and biliary tract, surgery, tumors.
- Although very different, all the causative elements of vomiting are the consequence of a stimulation of the bulbar center of vomiting.
Symptoms
Vomiting is often preceded by an unpleasant feeling of nausea, often accompanied by a "hypersecretion of saliva (sialorrhea), retching and hyperlacrimation. Vomiting can also cause quite serious consequences, such as: alkalosis of the metabolism, dehydration, bleeding of the esophagus," hiatal hernia, dental problems, rupture of capillaries following strain (especially of the face and eyes), tearing of the muscles.
Natural Cures
The information on Vomiting - Vomiting Medicines is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Vomiting - Medicines to Treat Vomiting.
Medicines
Sporadic episodes of vomiting should not be overly alarming, especially when they occur after a large dinner or after ingesting heavy foods; in such situations, the administration of drugs to quell vomiting does not make much sense.
If vomiting is a frequent phenomenon, associated with fever or very violent abdominal cramps, the doctor's opinion, with the visit, is essential; sometimes, vomiting is a secondary phenomenon to pathologies already diagnosed and in progress, other times a given disease is discovered precisely starting from the secondary symptom, vomiting.
Particularly alarming is the blood, greenish and fecaloid (nauseating) vomiting: also in this case, the control of the doctor or even the hospitalization are indispensable.
Especially in children, vomiting - especially when associated with diarrhea - is rather dangerous, since it can cause dehydration, a phenomenon that requires immediate oral or intravenous administration of lost electrolytes and fluids.
The use of anti-vomiting drugs (antiemetics) is indeed useful, but only after having diagnosed the cause of origin: in fact, the intake of these drugs can sometimes result in a limitation for the diagnosis, since it can mask the element. triggering.
Taking a drug always depends on the cause of origin and the patient's health conditions
The following are the classes of drugs most used in the therapy against vomiting, and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state of health of the patient and his response to treatment:
Anticholinergic-antispasmodic drugs for the treatment of vomiting:
- Meclizine (eg Antivert): the recommended dose for the treatment of vomiting is 25-50 mg of the drug, to be taken orally once a day, as needed.
- Trimethobenzamide (eg. Tigan): taken orally, the dosage of the drug is 250-300 mg, 3-4 times a day. Intramuscularly, it is recommended to take the drug at a dose of 200 mg, 4 times a day. It is also possible to take the drug rectally (suppositories): 200 mg, 3-4 times a day, as needed.
- Scopolamine (eg Erion, Addofix): antimuscarinic drug particularly indicated for giving symptomatic relief to gastrointestinal disorders, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Take orally 20 mg of active ingredient 4 times a day (halve the dose for children aged between 6 and 12 years). It is also possible to administer the drug intravenously, at the same dosage, and transdermally (patches).
Motility-stimulating drugs to treat vomiting:
- Metoclopramide (eg Plasil): belongs to the class of dopamine receptor blockers. It is an antiemetic drug, also indicated to promote intestinal peristalsis and digestion. Injecting, take 10 mg of the drug, three times a day, preferably before meals. Also available in tablets and syrup.
- Domperidone (eg Motilium, Peridon): it is recommended to take the drug at a dosage of 10-20 mg, 3-4 times a day, orally. Do not exceed 80 mg. The drug is also available in the form of 60 mg suppositories: apply 2 suppositories per day, as needed. It is especially indicated for the treatment of vomiting associated with chemotherapy; sometimes, it is indicated to resolve the vomiting resulting from taking the morning-after pill. It causes fewer side effects than the previous drug.
Dopaminergic antagonist drugs for the treatment of vomiting: indicated both for the prevention and for the treatment of nausea and vomiting
- Chlorpromazine (eg. Clorpr C FN, Largactil): it is recommended to take the drug at a dosage of 10-25 mg every 4-6 hours, as needed. It is possible to increase the dose, under medical advice; intramuscularly, the drug should be administered at a dosage of 25 mg, once. In the absence of marked hypotensive episodes, take 25-50 mg of the drug every 3-4 hours, as needed. It is also possible to take the active ingredient rectally (one suppository of 100 mg every 6-8 hours).
- Perfenazine (eg. Trilafon): in case of nausea and / or vomiting, it is recommended to take the drug at a dosage of 8-16 mg, divided into several doses during the 24 hours.
- Prochlorperazine (eg Stemetil): take 5-10 mg of the drug (tablets), 3-4 times a day; alternatively, take 10-15 mg of active in capsule form every 12 hours. Rectally, the drug is taken at a dose of 25 mg, twice a day; intramuscularly, 5-10 mg as needed. Finally, the drug is also available as a solution for injection into a vein: 2.5-10 mg by slow IV injection. (no more than 5 mg per minute). Do not exceed 10 mg in a single dose. The drug is also indicated to quell vomiting after surgery.
Antihistamines for the treatment of vomiting: these drugs are indicated to treat vomiting of various kinds (eg movement sickness, pregnancy nausea):
- Dimenhydrinate (eg Travelgum, Xamamina, Lomarin, Valontan): indicated to treat vomiting and nausea during travel by car, plane, ship. Available in the form of chewable 20 mg of active, the drug should be taken every 3-4 hours, as needed.
- Prometation (eg. Promet DYN, Farganesse, Fenazil): indicated for the treatment of severe vomiting in pregnancy: take 25 mg of the drug in the evening, before going to bed. Do not exceed 100 mg per day.
- Hydroxyzine (eg Atarax): the indicative dose is 25-100 mg, to be taken intramuscularly. Indicated to treat post-operative or post-partum vomiting.
Antipsychotics: Antipsychotic drugs can also be useful to counteract nausea and vomiting, since particular emotional conditions are able to influence the person to the point of triggering these effects. The most used drugs for this purpose are:
- Haloperidol (eg. Aloperid Fn, Serenase, Haldol Decanoas): the drug should be taken at a dosage of 1-5 mg orally or intramuscularly.
- Levomepromazine (eg Nozinan, 25-100 mg tablets): the drug is an antipsychotic neuroleptic indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia, mania, delirium and toxic psychosis. However, it is also sometimes indicated to counteract nausea and vomiting, as a second-choice drug. Do not exceed the doses, consult your doctor.
