Tropisetron versus ondansetron in the prevention and control of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV)

Nausea and vomiting are among the most distressing side effects in the postoperative period. Recent progress in the control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is due, in part, to a better understanding of the physiology of emesis, especially the recognition of the role of serotonin receptors and the discovery of serotonin receptors antagonists, which effectively control emesis. In this study we compared the efficacy of tropisetron with ondansetron in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Tropisetron was found to result in a greater control of emesis and nausea than ondansetron, especially at 8 and 24 h after surgical intervention. This is probably due to the pharmacokinetic characteristics of tropisetron. Additional studies will be needed to confirm these results.