Emesis Induction

Emesis Induction

Emesis is the professional medical term for vomiting (also known as throwing up). It is defined as the forceful expulsion of the stomach contents of a certain individual; this occurs through the patient’s mouth (in certain circumstances, it can also occur through his or her nose). Even if vomiting and regurgitation are two terms that are often interchanged with one another, they refer to two different things, as regurgitation is characterized by the return of food that has not yet been digested (it has not reached the stomach). In most cases, the causes of these two processes are also different.

Emesis Induction can sometimes save the patient’s life, and it is therefore employed as a therapeutic option especially in the case of individuals who have been poisoned with an oral intoxicant agent. Theory states that through the application of this medical procedure (Emesis Induction) the absorption of toxins is lowered, which leads to the complete / partial elimination of the harmful substances.

It is important for all patients to always keep in mind that Emesis Induction should be supervised by a medical professional, as only a clinical specialist is able to successfully prevent the individual from suffering from the unpleasant (and sometimes life-threatening) complications that can arise due to vomiting. Some of the most common complications that can be triggered by the act of throwing up include aspiration of vomit, Mallory-Weiss tear, dehydration, dental problems, electrolyte imbalances, and so on. The most severe of these is considered the aspiration of vomit. In normal circumstances, this is prevented by coughing and by the gag reflex, but these factors are known to be compromised in the case of anesthetized patients and / or in the case of individuals who have consumed alcoholic beverages. Such patients present a higher risk of choking and / or experiencing a condition called aspiration pneumonia. Excessive of prolonged emesis will lead to dehydration, a condition that also affects the patient’s electrolyte status.

Emesis Induction Description

In case a patient presents the specific clinical manifestations of acute poisoning, the health care provider will do his best in order to try and determine the toxic agent which has lead to the developing of the disorder. After the physician has established the harmful substance, he or she may proceed with applying the correct medical strategy.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the health care practitioner is unable to determine the toxic agent (the one who is responsible for the development of poisoning). In such cases, Emesis Induction is one of the first therapy options that are taken into consideration. The patient will be encouraged to try to throw up, under the supervision of a nurse or that of another medical specialist. If the patient is not able to throw up by himself, he may be administered special medical products which are known to be able to trigger vomiting. During the whole Emesis Induction process, the individual is to be maintained properly hydrated, in order to prevent the development of dehydration. Furthermore, before and after the patient undergoes Emesis Induction he or she may be asked to undergo blood clinical exams, in order to check his or her blood electrolyte levels.

The emesis process is coordinated in the center of vomiting that lies in the pons lateral medullary reticular formation. The brain’s fourth ventricle has special receptors on the floor of the ventricle that form a chemoreceptor trigger area, called the postrema zone. The stimulation of this area can lead to emesis. This part of the pons is actually a circumventricular organ; it can be stimulated by blood-borne medical products that can either inhibit or stimulate the act of vomiting.

We want to emphasize on the fact that Emesis Induction should only be employed with the permission and under the supervision of a well trained health care specialist. If you want to know if this type of medical approach is indeed the adequate therapeutic option for your case, you should consult with your PD or report to the nearest emergency center.

Emesis Induction Related Medication

This type of medical procedure (commonly referred to as Emesis Induction) is generally a part of a more complex therapeutic approach in which the patient’s health care specialist aims to correct poisoning with a certain oral intoxicating agent. In other words, this clinical procedure is part of a specific therapeutic approach known as Gastrointestinal Decontamination. One of the medical substances that are most commonly employed during such a clinical approach is Activated Charcoal. This type of medication has proven to be able to bind to the intoxicating agent (to the poison) and therefore to prevent the absorption of the harmful substance into the patient’s organism. The administration of Activated Charcoal must be performed after the patient has undergone Emesis Induction (it is employed in order to increase the rate of success of the treatment).

The average patient is generally administered about 1g of Activated Charcoal per kilogram of body weight. Only one dose of this medication is generally needed. However, in case the patient’s health care provider has been able to accurately identify the poison (the harmful agent), the individual can receive additional doses of medication (specific antidotes that have been designed especially for that particular poison). Studies have shown that the effectiveness of medication (such as Activated Charcoal, different antidotes, and so on) in the case of acute poisoning is highly increased if the patient receives the medical product(s) as soon as possible. Unfortunately, such products can be completely ineffective in the case of patients who are suffering from a long term exposure to a certain type of toxic substance.

All patients must always keep in mind that this article about “Emesis Induction” has been designed to be a supplement to the professional expertise of a qualified medical provider, as it is unable to substitute it, under any circumstances. We strongly advise all individuals to seek further information about this type of medical procedure and about the most common clinical techniques that can be applied in the case of acute poisoning with a certain toxic substance; only a well trained health care practitioner is entitled to provide you with further medical details concerning such clinical aspects.