A retrospective review of treatment patterns of antiemetic agents for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Abstract

Objectives:To evaluate the treatment pattern of antiemetic agents used for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia.Methods:Over a period of 7 weeks, all new chemotherapy order sheets were collected and evaluated for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting management. We compared each antiemetic regimen used for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prophylaxis with three international antiemetic guidelines by the following organizations: the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for the clinician.Results:A total of 152 cancer patients were included in the study, for whom 289 chemotherapy physician orders included antiemetic regimens. Approximately 17.3% of the chemotherapy protocols had total minimal emetogenicity risk, 22.5% had low risk, 37.02% had moderate risk, and 23.18% had high risk. For acute emesis, 27.57% of the antiemetic regimens followed at least one of the three reference guidelines. For delayed emesis, only 20.16% of the antiemetic regimens adhered to at least one of the three reference guidelines.Conclusion:Adherence to treatment recommendations and antiemetics prescribing for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting was suboptimal at this hospital. However, institutional antiemetic guidelines and oncology pharmacists could play an important role in better assessment and management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Chemotherapy-Associated nausea and vomiting: A cross-sectional survey of occurrence and management patterns at jos university teaching hospital, Nigeria

“…Aprepitant prescribing has been observed to be low in studies from Indian and Saudi Arabian tertiary centers, probably due to its high cost. [ 18 19 ] Olanzapine has also been reported to be infrequently prescribed. [ 18 ] From a general perspective, the cost of olanzapine at the study site was relatively high and could have contributed to its low prescribing rate.…”

Assessing the impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting on patients’ quality of life: An Arabic version of the Functional Living Index-Emesis

“…Neither studies reported the impact of CINV on patients quality of life. 22,23 Arabic is the sixth most frequently used language and is estimated to be the native tongue of 420 million people worldwide. With the projection of a 1.8-fold increase in cancer incidence in the Arab world by 2030, 24 it is imperative to utilize self-assessment instruments such as FLIE as part of the care in patients actively receiving chemotherapy.…”

Toxicidades Gastrointestinais em Mulheres durante Tratamento Quimioterápico do Câncer de Mama

“…Os fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de náusea e vômitos induzidos por quimioterapia envolvem, além do potencial emetogênico dos agentes quimioterápicos, pacientes jovens, do sexo feminino, com histórico de náusea e vômito durante gravidez. Por outro lado, distúrbios eletrolíticos e lesões estruturais no esôfago ou estômago também se relacionam com a ocorrência dessas toxicidades gastrointestinais 22 . Além desses fatores de risco, um estudo com mulheres em tratamento do câncer de mama identificou que 42% das participantes não aderiram aos protocolos antieméticos, bem como a escolaridade, o consumo de álcool e experiências anteriores com agentes quimioterápicos influenciaram nessa não adesão 23 .…”