POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA

Course overview

POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING (PONV) IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOLLOWING ANESTHESIA AND LEADS TO PATIENT DISSATISFACTION AND DISCOMFORT. IN CERTAIN SETTINGS, PONV CAN LEAD TO POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS ESPECIALLY IN A PATIENT THAT CANNOT TOLERATE ELEVATED HEART RATE OR BLOOD PRESSURE, INTRATHORACIC PRESSURE, OR CENTRAL VENOUS PRESSURE. RESOURCES REPORT THE FREQUENCY OF PONV AT UP TO 80% IN HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS AND UP TO 30% OF THE GENERAL POPULATION. INCREASED MEDICAL COSTS, PROLONGED HOSPITALIZATION, AND HOSPITAL READMISSION ARE ALL COMMON IN CASES OF PONV. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PRESENTATION OF POST OPERATIVE NAUSEA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.