Drug updated on 4/26/2024
| Dosage Form | Injection (intravenous: 5 mg/2 mL, 10 mg/4 mL) |
| Drug Class | Dopamine-2 antagonists |
| Ongoing and Completed Studies | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Indication
- Indicated in adults for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), either alone or in combination with an antiemetic of a different class.
- Indicated in adults for treatment of PONV in patients who have received antiemetic prophylaxis with an agent of a different class or have not received prophylaxis.
Summary
- Amisulpride (Barhemsys) is indicated for the prevention and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in adults, either alone or in combination with an antiemetic from a different class.
- A systematic review found that amisulpride was effective at reducing the risk of vomiting by at least 20% compared to placebo, ranking it among other single drugs such as aprepitant, ramosetron, granisetron, dexamethasone and ondansetron.
- The safety profile of amisulpride was generally similar to placebo according to one meta-analysis study; it showed little or no increase in any adverse event when compared with placebo.
- In terms of population type considerations, most participants across studies were women (83%), indicating potential gender-specific effectiveness for PONV prevention using amisulpride.
- Information derived from four Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses documents indicates that low-dose intravenous administration of amisulpride is safe and efficacious for preventing PONV when compared to a placebo control group.
- Further research is recommended regarding optimal dosage timing as well as exploration into specific subgroup efficacy given current lack evidence around these aspects related to use of Amisulpride (Barhemsys).
Product Monograph / Prescribing Information
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Barhemsys (amisulpride) Prescribing Information. | 2022 | Acacia Pharma Inc. Indianapolis, IN |
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of current clinical evidence. | 2022 | Anesthesia & Analgesia |
| Drugs for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults after general anaesthesia: an abridged Cochrane network meta-analysis. | 2021 | Anaesthesia |
| Efficacy of amisulpride for depressive symptoms in individuals with mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Psychopharmacol. | 2021 | Human psychopharmacology. |
| Efficacy of amisulpride on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a systematic review and meta-analysis. | 2020 | European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology |
| Drugs for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults after general anaesthesia: an abridged Cochrane network meta‐analysis. | 2020 | Anaesthesia |
| Drugs for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults after general anaesthesia: a network meta‐analysis. | 2020 | Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
Clinical Practice Guidelines
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth consensus guidelines for the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting. | 2020 | Anesthesia & Analgesia |