ANTIEMETICS
Generic & Class Brand & Company Form(s) Strength(s) Usual Dose*
ANTICHOLINERICS
Scopolamine Transderm SCOP
Novartis Cons.
transdermal patch 1.5mg (delivers 1mg per 72hrs) Motion sickness: 1 patch 4hrs before departure, remove after 72hrs.
Post-op: 1 patch evening before surgery.
C-section: 1 patch 1hr before surgery. Remove 24 hrs after surgery.
ANTIHISTAMINES
Meclizine Antivert
Pfizer
tabs 12.5mg, 25mg, 50mg Motion sickness: 25–50mg 1hr before departure, then once daily.
Vertigo: 25–100mg/day in divided doses.
Diphenhydramine Benadryl
Pfizer
IV or IM inj 50mg/mL 10–50mg IV or deep IM; max 400mg.
Children: 5mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses; max 300mg/day.
CANNABINOIDS
Dronabinol Marinol
Unimed
caps 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg Initially 5mg/m2 1–3hrs before chemo, then every 2–4hrs; max 4–6 doses and 15mg/m2/day.

 

Nabilone Cesamet
Valeant
caps 1mg 1–2mg twice daily; max 6mg/day in 3 divided doses. Start 1–3 hrs before chemo.
5-HT3 RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS
Dolasetron Anzemet
Sanofi-Aventis
tabs 50mg, 100mg 100mg within 1hr before chemo or 2hrs before surgery.
IV inj 20mg/mL ≥16yrs: 1.8mg/kg (max 100mg) 30mins before chemo.
Prevention: 0.35mg/kg (max 12.5mg) 15mins before anesthesia stops.
Treatment: 0.35mg/kg as needed.
Granisetron Kytril
Roche
tabs 1mg 2mg up to 1hr before chemo; or 1mg up to 1hr before, then 1mg 12hrs after 1st dose.
Radiation: 2mg within 1hr.
IV inj 1mg/mL ≥2yrs: 10micrograms/kg within 30mins before chemo.
Sancuso
ProStrakan
transdermal patch 3.1mg/day 1 patch 24–48hrs before chemo, remove at minimum 24hrs after completion of chemo; max 7 days.
Ondansetron Zofran
GSK
tabs 4mg, 8mg, 24mg Highly emetogenic: 24mg 30mins before chemo.
Moderately emetogenic: 8mg for 2 doses starting 30mins before chemo, then 8mg every 12hrs for 1–2 days after.
Post-op prophylaxis: 16mg 1hr before anesthesia.
orally-disintegrating tabs (ODT) 4mg, 8mg
soln 4mg/5mL
IV or IM inj 2mg/mL >18yrs: 32mg once or 0.15mg/kg every 4hrs for 3 doses 30mins before chemo.
Post-op: 4mg IV before anesthesia or shortly post-op.
Palonosetron Aloxi Capsules
Eisai
caps 0.5mg Chemotherapy: ≥18yrs: 0.5mg one hour prior to chemotherapy.
Aloxi
Eisai
IV inj 0.075mg/1.5mL
0.25mg/5mL
Chemotherapy: ≥18yrs: give 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy. 0.25mg IV over 30 seconds; max 1 dose/week.
Post-op: give immediately before anesthesia induction. 0.075mg IV over 10 seconds.
PHENOTHIAZINES
Chlorpromazine Thorazine
GSK
tabs 10mg, 5mg, 50mg, 100mg, 200mg 10–25mg every 4–6hrs.
syrup 10mg/5mL
supp 25mg, 100mg 50–100mg every 6–8hrs.
inj 25mg/mL 25–50mg every 3–4hrs.
Prochlorperazine (various) tabs 5mg, 10mg 5–10mg 3–4 times daily; max 40mg/day.
supps 2.5mg, 5mg, 25mg 25mg twice daily; max 40mg/day.
Promethazine (various) tabs 12.5mg, 25mg, 50mg Motion sickness: 25mg 30–60mins before departure, maintenance: 25mg every 12hrs.
Peri-op: initially 25mg, then 12.5–25mg every 4–6hrs.
supps 12.5mg, 25mg, 50mg
SUBSTITUTED BENZAMIDES
Metoclopramide Metozolv ODT
Salix
orally-disintegrating tabs 5mg, 10mg Diabetic gastroparesis: 10mg 4 times daily 30 minutes before meals and at bedtime for 2–8 weeks. Allow tablet to dissolve on tongue. Renal impairment: reduce dose.
Reglan
UCB
tabs 5mg, 10mg N/V dues to diabetic gastroparesis: 10mg 30mins before meals and bedtime for 2–8 weeks.
Trimethobenzamide Tigan
King
caps 300mg 200mg (IM) or 300mg (oral) 3–4 times daily.
IM inj 100mg/mL
SUBSTANCE P/NEUROKININ 1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST
Aprepitant Emend
Merck
caps 40mg, 80mg, 125mg Chemo-induced: 125mg 1hr before chemo; then on days 2 and 3: 80mg in AM.
Post-op prophylaxis: 40mg within 3hrs prior to anesthesia
NOTES

*Usual Dose is the manufacturer's suggested dose for healthy adults (eg, doses for hepatic or renal impairment are not shown). Patients' individual needs may vary. Adjust dose based on clinical effect.

• TBI = total body irridation

• See individual product entries for exact indications, other dosing information, IV infusion rates, and other important information.

(Rev. 2/2010)