Pharmacogenetics of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains one of the most common adverse effects of anesthesia, affecting up to 80% of high-risk patients within 24  hours after surgery. Patient-related factors, surgical procedure, and perioperative medications such as opioids determine a patient's risk for PONV. To prevent and manage PONV, ondansetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, is frequently administered. Ondansetron is metabol ized predominantly by hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP2D6) enzymes, encoded by the CYP2D6 gene, whereas most of the effects of opioids are exerted at the opioid mu-1 receptor, encoded by the OPRM1 gene.
Source: Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Continuing Education Source Type: research