Question

Of the following medications, which prevents, but does not treat, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV)?

A) Ondansetron
B) Promethazine
C) Scopolamine
D) Dexamethasone
E) Droperidol

Answer 1

Scopolamine (Option C) is the medication that only prevents, but does not treat, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

Step-by-step explanation:

The medication that prevents, but does not treat, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is Scopolamine (Option C). Scopolamine is commonly used to prevent nausea and motion sickness by way of a transdermal patch, which allows for controlled release of the medication to minimize side effects. While Ondansetron and Promethazine can both prevent and treat symptoms of nausea and vomiting, Dexamethasone and Droperidol are additional options for prevention but tend to have a broader use in treatment compared to Scopolamine.

The transdermal Scopolamine patch, especially, is designed to prevent the onset of symptoms without serving as a treatment once symptoms have arisen. This makes Scopolamine distinct from the other medications listed, which offer dual preventative and treatment capabilities.