Syed Musharraf Imam, Tariq Mahmood Mufti, Abdul Hameed Bhatti, Manzoor Ahmed Faridi.
Efficacy of balanced antiemesis for prophylaxsis againt post operative nausea and vomiting (PONY): a comparative study of Ondansetron and Dexamethasone versus Ondansetron alone.
Pak Armed Forces Med J Jan ;54(2):185-90.

A randomized placebo controlled cohort comparative blind study was conducted at department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care from September 2003 to December 2003, to find out the efficacy of balanced antiemesis with combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone versus ondansetron alone. Patients undergoing elective caesarean section under general anaesthesia were randomly given intravenous ondansetron 4mg with dexamethasone 8mg, or ondansetron (4mg) alone or N/S (placebo), for the prevention of PONV at the time of induction of anesthesia. The incidence of N and V were recorded over first 24 hours after extubation. The severity of N and V was assessed using a modified standard four-point ordinal scale based on a visual analogue scale (none, mild, moderate, severe). Total 120 patients were recruited in this study, 40 in each group. As many as 5%, 22.5% and 52.5% of patients in combination group, ondansetron alone group and placebo group respectively required rescue ant emetics. The study revealed that balanced antiemesis with ondansetron and dexamethasone is more effective way in the prevention of PONV with minimal side effects.

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