Butyrophenone antipsychotic / antiemetic
Droperidol
Brand names: Xomolix
Adult dose
Dose: PONV: 0.625–1.25mg IV at end of surgery; PCA add-on: 15–50 micrograms/mg morphine
Route: IV
Frequency: Single dose
Clinical pearls
- AAGBI / Society for Ambulatory Anaesthesia: low-dose droperidol is highly effective antiemetic for PONV, second-line to ondansetron/dexamethasone
- MHRA QT prolongation warnings — pre-dose ECG and electrolyte review
- Useful in PCA-PCA admixtures (limited UK use)
Contraindications
- Hypokalaemia / hypomagnesaemia
- Bradycardia <55 bpm
- QT prolongation (congenital or acquired)
- Phaeochromocytoma
- Parkinson's disease
- Concurrent QT-prolonging drugs
- Hypersensitivity
Side effects
- Sedation
- Hypotension
- QT prolongation / torsades
- Extrapyramidal effects
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (rare)
Interactions
- QT-prolonging drugs (avoid)
- Other CNS depressants
- Levodopa (antagonism)
Monitoring
- ECG (QT)
- Electrolytes
- Sedation
- BP
Reference: BNF; AAGBI; SAMBA PONV guideline; MHRA Drug Safety Update; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/droperidol/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
Pathways
- Difficult Airway Algorithm (DAS) · DAS 2015; Royal College of Anaesthetists
- Anaphylaxis Under Anaesthesia · AAGBI 2018; NAP6
- Malignant Hyperthermia · AAGBI 2011; MHAUS
- Local Anaesthetic Systemic Toxicity (LAST) · AAGBI 2010; ASRA 2017
- Spinal Anaesthesia Hypotension Management · AAGBI; ASA
- Postoperative Nausea & Vomiting · Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia 2020; AAGBI