P. Kakodkar
Sep 1, 2013
Citations
0
Influential Citations
26
Citations
Journal
Anaesthesia
Abstract
Dexamethasone is a synthetic steroid known for its anti-inflammatory properties, but is now increasingly used as an antiemetic in surgical patients. It has been used as an antiemetic in patients receiving chemotherapy for more than three decades and was first studied in surgical patients in the early nineties [1]. Although the precise mechanism of action is not known, it has been suggested that the antiemetic effect could be due to the inhibition of prostaglandins, prevention of serotonin release in the gut, reduction in neural 5-hydroxytryptophan levels or release of endorphins [2].