Cost-effectiveness data for aprepitant and fosaprepitant in post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prevention are limited, and formal economic evaluations are largely lacking. A 2023 retrospective study in bariatric surgery patients found that fosaprepitant reduced overall antiemetic medication and administration costs (approximately $46.47 vs. $25.69 per patient) and improved patient satisfaction, although 12.5% required an additional dose. A 2024 retrospective analysis reported that apre...
While a lot of studies evaluated aprepitant and fosaprepitant, the research has focused primarily on post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) incidence, vomiting rates, rescue antiemetic use, and adverse events rather than healthcare utilization metrics. Evidence shows that aprepitant reduces nausea, vomiting, and rescue antiemetic requirements, with enhanced effects when combined with dexamethasone and ondansetron, and appears more effective at preventing vomiting than nausea. Fosaprepitant, particularly when added to standard prophylaxis in high-risk patients, lowers PONV incidence, emetic episodes, and rescue antiemetic use, though it may increase intraoperative hypotension. Network meta-analyses rank NK₁ receptor antagonists among the most effective single agents for vomiting prevention, with drug combinations generally showing greater efficacy. Overall, serious adverse events are uncommon, and safety profiles are favorable, but no studies reported outcomes such as cost-effecti...
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A search of the published medical literature revealed
1 study investigating the researchable question:
What cost effectiveness data are available regarding use of aprepitant or fosaprepitant for prevention of post-operative nausea and vomiting? What evidence is available on outcomes such as length of stay or need for admission?
Level of evidence
C - Multiple studies with limitations or conflicting results
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[1] Grigio TR, Timmerman H, Dos Santos NP, Pereira JEG, Sousa AM, Wolff AP. Aprepitant and fosaprepitant as a prophylactic antiemetic for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting after general anaesthesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2025;80:100783. doi:10.1016/j.clinsp.2025.100783
[2] Liu Y, Chen X, Wang X, et al. The efficacy of aprepitant for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(29):e34385. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000034385
[3] Huang Q, Wang F, Liang C, et al. Fosaprepitant for postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery: a randomised trial. Br J Anaesth. 2023;131(4):673-681. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2023.06.029
[4] Weibel S, Rücker G, Eberhart LH, et al. Drugs for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults after general anaesthesia: a network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;10(10):CD012859. Published 2020 Oct 19. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012859.pub2
[5] Tingley K, Severn M; Authors. Aprepitant for the Prevention of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Refractory or High-Risk Patients: Rapid Review [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2022 May. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK605083/
[6] Qiu T, Men P, Sun T, Zhai S. Cost-Effectiveness of Aprepitant in Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review of Published Articles. Front Public Health. 2021;9:660514. Published 2021 Aug 25. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.660514
[7] Aghazarian GS, Lind R, Motola D, et al. Impact of Emend on Perioperative Bariatric Surgery Antiemetic Utilization, Patient Satisfaction, and Costs. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2023;33(3):265-269. Published 2023 Jun 1. doi:10.1097/SLE.0000000000001101
[8] Dahman M, Ratermann C, Rozzo A. Use of aprepitant (80 mg) for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Innovations in Surgery and Interventional Medicine. 2024;4(2024):1-5. doi:10.36401/ISIM-23-04