Anti-Emetic Drugs Available for Chemotherapy and Radiation-induced Nausea and Vomiting Pharmacologic Classes Drug Name Dosage Form Strength Unit Costs Adult Dosages, Routes, & Schedules             Dopaminergic Antagonists           Phenothiazines*             Chlorpromazine oral solution 30mg/ml $ 3.33 per 120ml 25-50 mg po q.4-6 h   (Thorazine®, others) tablets 25mg $0.25 25-50 mg po q.4-6 h     injection 50mg/2ml $5.29 25-50 mg IV/IM q.4-6 h               Perphenazine (Trilafon®) tablets 2mg $0.08 2-4 mg po q.8 h       4mg $0.11 2-4 mg po q.8 h     injection 5mg/1ml $2.71 2-4 mg IV/IM q.8 h               Prochlorperazine tablets 10mg $0.57 10-20 mg po q.4-6 h   (Compazine®, others) suppositories 25mg $1.77 25 mg pr q.4-6 h     sustained-release caps 15mg $0.98 15-30 mg po q.8-12 h     injection 10mg/2ml $0.42 10-25 mg IV/IM q.4-6 h               Thiethylperazine (Torecan®) tablets 10mg $0.29 10-20 mg po q.4-6 h     injection 10mg/2ml $29.22 10-20 mg IV/IM q.4-6 h             Butyrophenones             Haloperidol (Haloperidol®, others) oral solution 5mg/5ml $ 3.02 per 120ml 5-10 mg po q.4-6 h     tablets 5mg $0.02 5-10 mg po q.4-6 h     injection 5mg/1ml $0.46 5-10 mg IV/IM q.4-6 h               Droperidol (Inapsine®) injection 5mg/2ml $3.92 1-2.5 mg IV/IM q.4-6 h             Substituted Benzamide             Metoclopramide (Reglan®, others) tablets 10mg $0.01 20 mg po q.6 h†     injection 150mg/30ml $1.76 1-3 mg/kg IV q.2-3 h x 3-5 doses                         Steroids             Dexamethasone tablets 4mg $0.06 4-8 mg po q.8-12 h     oral solution 0.5mg/5ml $ 3.45 per 250ml 4-8 mg po q.8-12 h     injection 20mg/5ml $0.38 8-20 mg IV/IM q.12 h               Methylprednisolone tablets 4mg $0.32 4-16 mg po q.6 h     injection 125mg $0.80 125-250 mg IV/IM q.6 h Benzodiazepines             Alprazolam (Xanax®) tablets 0.25mg $0.01 0.125-0.5 po mg q.8 h               Diazepam (Valium®) tablets 2mg & 5 mg 0.01 ea 2-10 mg po q.6-8 h               Lorazepam (Ativan®) tablets 0.5mg & 1mg 0.01 ea 0.5-1 mg po q.8-12 h     injection 2mg/ml $1.15 0.5-1.5 mg IV q.8-12 h               Midazolam (Versed®) injection 5mg/5ml $6.05 0.02-0.07 mg/kg IV q.2-4 h               Oxazepam (Serax®) capsules 10mg & 15mg 10mg = $ 0.33 ea 10-30 mg po q.6-8 h         15mg = $ 0.40 ea   Cannabinoids             Dronabinol (Marinol®) capsules 2.5mg $1.51 2.5-10 mg po q.6 h             Serotonin (5-HT3) Antagonist             Granisetron (Kytril®) injection 4mg/4ml $ 337.52 ea; (Cost of Therapy for a 60 kg patient is $ 119.33) 10 µg/kg IV x 1 dose                 tablets 1mg $ 21.51 ea (Cost of Therapy = $43.02 ) 2 mg po x 1 dose or 1 mg po q.12 h x 2 doses (start 60 minutes before chemotherapy)               Ondansetron (Zofran®) injection 40mg/20ml $ 131.03; (Cost of Therapy for a 60 kg patient ( 3 doses) = $ 88.44) 0.15 mg/kg IV q.4 h x 3 doses or         Cost of Therapy = $98.27 32 mg IV x 1 dose                 tablets 8mg 10.79 8 mg po q.8 h Last updated: 09/08/98 Find Another Drug NIH Home Page |Clinical Center Home Page |Pharmacy Home Page