Acute Medicine | Palliative care | Causes of nausea and vomiting

Causes of nausea and vomiting
Session overview
Description
This session describes the physiological processes underlying nausea and vomiting and offers a framework for working out the causes of nausea and vomiting, as a basis for assessment and management of these problems. It focuses on patients with advanced disease but is not a comprehensive view of the causes of nausea and vomiting in other patient groups.

This session was reviewed by Carrie Anderson and Sarah Hanrott and was last updated in April 2023

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• define nausea and vomiting, and differentiate between other similar symptoms in the emetic process (retching, regurgitation, rumination)
• identify the neuronal pathways, transmitters and receptors involved in nausea and vomiting
• list the most common causes of nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced disease, and identify the clinical features associated with each

Nausea and vomiting are common in patients with advanced disease (cancer or non-cancer) but both symptoms can be effectively treated.

There are several possible causes of nausea and vomiting, some of which are reversible. Treatment can be guided by an assessment of the most likely cause of the symptoms.

Understanding the processes and neurotransmitters involved can help to identify which antiemetics could work. This session looks at the processes and neurotransmitters involved.