Agents that cause vomiting. Emetics are used to induce vomiting when poisonous or toxic substances have been consumed. They may act directly on the gastrointestinal tract by irritating portions of it, or they may work indirectly, by affecting areas of the brain that control vomiting.
An agent that causes vomiting. Strong emetics, such as apomorphine, are used to induce vomiting following drug overdose. Substances such as common salt, which irritate the stomach nerves if taken in sufficient quantities, also cause vomiting. Some emetics, e.g. ipecac, arc expectorants at low doses.
An emetic is a substance which induces vomiting (emesis). Emetics were previously used for gut decontamination in the treatment of poisoning but are now considered obsolete. This is because the efficacy of emesis for this purpose is unproven; there is a delay between administration and actual emesis, during which time continued absorption of the poison may occur; and some emetics have effects other than vomiting which may mask the clinical features of the ingested poison. The most commonly used emetic was syrup of ipecacuanha (ipecac). Salt (sodium chloride) water emetics were also used but there are many cases of fatal hyper-natraemia resulting from such use and salt water emetics should never be given. The most common method of gut decontamination currently used is the administration of activated charcoal.
An agent that promotes vomiting. An emetic may induce vomiting by irritating the gastrointestinal tract or by stimulating the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the central nervous system. Some drugs, such as narcotic pain relievers and chemotherapeutic agents used to treat cancer, have emetic properties as unwanted side effects of their administration.
An emetic is a substance utilized to induce vomiting, particularly in the treatment of certain poisonings and drug overdoses. Emetics function by either stimulating the vomiting center in the brain or directly irritating the stomach lining. Among the commonly used emetics, ipecacuanha is the most widely employed.