A comparison of metoclopramide vs. droperidol/phenobarbital for emesis induced by chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting cause morbidity and poor compliance among patients receiving intensive cancer chemotherapy. High-dose antiemetic regimens, while effective, add significantly to the cost of treatment. This study compares the efficacy and cost of high-dose metoclopramide with a combination of phenobarbital and droperidol. All patients treated were naive to prior chemotherapy, and all patients received treatment regimens containing cisplatinum. Both antiemetic regimens proved equally efficacious in suppressing emesis, but the phenobarbital/droperidol combination achieved a 100-fold decrease in cost.