Nausea and vomiting in palliative care

Nausea and vomiting are common problems in palliative care, occurring in up to 70% of patients with advanced incurable disease. Nausea and vomiting can be disease- or treatment-related. They require a holistic approach to their management, involving a thorough clinical assessment with a focused history, appropriate examination and limited range of key investigations. A knowledge of the receptors likely to be involved in this complex phenomenon is vital to ensure that proper pharmacological (and other) measures are employed.