Haloperidol

Mechanism of Action 12

  • Haloperidol is an antipsychotic that acts primarily as a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist.
  • By blocking dopamine receptors, it inhibits the vomiting reflex, making it effective as an antiemetic.

Indications 12

  • Post-operative Nausea and VomitingPost-operative Nausea and Vomiting
    General Principles

    Many patients undergoing anesthesia will experience post-operative nausea and vomiting
    Anti-emetic medications are given routinely during anesthesia.
    Combining agents of d...

Dosage 12

  • PONV: 0.5 - 1 mg IV administered, generally at the beginning of surgery.

Complications 12

  • QTc Prolongation: generally well tolerated at the above dosing.
  • Extrapyramidal symptoms can occur

References

  1. Gan, T.J., Belani, K.G., Bergese, S., et al. (2020). Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting. Anesth Analg. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. Birdi T, Sullivan P. Ottawa anesthesia primer. Toronto, Ontario: Echo Book Publishing; 2012. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4