Nausea and vomiting are a relatively common complication of opioid analgesics. The risk of nausea and vomiting may be increased in certain circumstances.
Risk factors associated with the patient:
(1) younger age (adolescent or young adult)
(2) female
(3) Caucasian
(4) history of nausea and vomiting with opioid exposure
(5) motion in a patient with a history of motion sickness
(6) immediate post-operative state
Risk factors related to the opioid analgesic:
(1) use of morphine
(2) intravenous or intramuscular administration
(3) higher dose
(4) administration of other emetogenic drugs
(5) administration to a patient without previous opioid exposure (chronic exposure reduces the risk)
(6) oral dose not taken with food
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