Phenytoin for the prevention of motion sickness

Albert, Edi G

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05362.x

Topics

A 43-year-old woman sought advice about the treatment of her sea-sickness. A sea-kayaking enthusiast, she suffers disturbing motion sickness in big seas. The usual remedies have either been ineffective or made her drowsy. A scuba-diving instructor recommended that she try taking phenytoin the night before going kayaking, and she wonders whether there is any evidence to support this recommendation.

Discipline of General Practice and Department of Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS.

Correspondence: Edi.Albert@utas.edu.au

1. Chelan W, Kabrisky M, Hatsell C, et al. Use of phenytoin in the prevention of motion sickness. Aviat Space Environ Med 1990; 61: 1022-1025.
2. Woodard D, Knox G, Myers KJ, et al. Phenytoin as a countermeasure for motion sickness in NASA maritime operations. Aviat Space Environ Med 1993; 64: 363-366.
3. Knox GW, Woodard D, Chelan W, et al. Phenytoin for motion sickness: clinical evaluation. Laryngoscope 1994; 104: 935-939.
4. Chelan W, Ahmed N, Kabrisky M, Roger S. Computerized task battery assessment of cognitive and performance effects of acute phenytoin motion sickness therapy. Aviat Space Environ Med 1993; 64: 201-205.
5. Stern RM, Uijtdehaage SH, Muth ER, Koch KL. Effects of phenytoin on vection-induced motion sickness and gastric myoelectric activity. Aviat Space Environ Med 1994; 65: 518-521.
6. Diving Medicine Online. Available at: http://www.scuba-doc.com/moresea.htm (accessed Mar 2003).

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.