What Is Aprepitant Used For?

Aprepitant is used for preventing nausea and vomiting associated with surgery or chemotherapy. By preventing a certain chemical in the body from binding to brain receptors, the medication can help prevent nausea and vomiting. At this time, aprepitant is not approved for use in children. "Off-label" aprepitant uses may include the prevention of nausea and vomiting due to other causes.

 

Aprepitant Uses: An Overview

Aprepitant (Emend®) is a prescription medication approved for the prevention of nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy or surgery.
 

Aprepitant for Nausea and Vomiting After Surgery

Surgery is a common cause of nausea and vomiting. However, not all types of surgery are likely to cause nausea and vomiting. Surgeries involving the abdomen (stomach area), eye, ears, nose, and throat are most likely to cause nausea or vomiting. Certain people are at higher risk for postoperative nausea and vomiting, including the following people:
 
  • Women
  • People who get motion sickness
  • People who have had nausea or vomiting after surgery in the past
  • People who do not smoke
  • People who will use certain morphine-like medications ("opioids") after surgery.
     
Your healthcare provider will take all of these factors into consideration when deciding whether you will need medication to prevent nausea and vomiting.
 
Aprepitant is given before surgery to help prevent nausea and vomiting from occurring. It is not approved to treat nausea and vomiting after it starts, and it is much harder to treat nausea or vomiting than to prevent it from happening in the first place.
 
(What Is Aprepitant Used For? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;