Version July 2025
| Category | Examples | Adverse effect |
| Analgesic and sedative | Benzodiazepines | Impaired cognition, anorexia |
| NSAIDs (including aspirin and COX-2 selective) | Nausea, gastrointestinal distress, dysphagia | |
| Opioids | Nausea, vomiting | |
| Anti-infectives | Erythromycin, lamivudine, metronidazole, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole | Anorexia, altered taste, nausea, vomiting |
| Anticholinergics (antimuscarinics)¶ | Benztropine, oxybutynin, tolterodine | Dry mouth, nausea |
| Cardiovascular | ACE inhibitors | Altered taste or smell |
| Aspirin | Nausea, gastrointestinal distress, dysphagia | |
| Calcium channel blockers | Altered taste or smell | |
| Clonidine | Dry mouth | |
| Digoxin | Nausea, vomiting (particularly as serum levels increase) | |
| Loop diuretics | Dry mouth | |
| Propranolol | Altered taste or smell | |
| Spironolactone | Altered taste or smell | |
| Statins | Nausea, vomiting | |
| Thiazide diuretics | Dry mouth | |
| ChemotherapyΔ | Cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, carboplatin, cytarabine, doxorubicin | Nausea, vomiting, anorexia (varies by agent and combination)Δ |
| Endocrine | Antidiabetic (eg, metformin) | Anorexia |
| Hormones (eg, estrogens) | Nausea | |
| Osteoporosis (eg, bisphosphonates) | Dysphagia, nausea | |
| H1 antihistamines | Diphenhydramine | Dry mouth |
| Neurologic | Alzheimer medications (eg, donepezil) | Nausea |
| Antiparkinson medications (eg, amantadine, carbidopa-levodopa, selegiline) | Altered taste or smell, nausea, anorexia | |
| Antiseizure (eg, topiramate) | Anorexia | |
| Psychiatric | Antipsychotics | Anorexia, nausea (varies by agent; several associated with weight gain) |
| Bupropion | Anorexia | |
| Lithium | Nausea, vomiting (particularly as serum levels increase) | |
| SSRI antidepressants (eg, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline) | Anorexia, nausea (generally short-lived) | |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | Dry mouth, nausea | |
| Rheumatologic | Antigout (eg, allopurinol, colchicine) | Altered taste or smell (allopurinol) Anorexia, nausea, vomiting (colchicine) |
| Rheumatoid arthritis (eg, hydroxychloroquine) | Anorexia, nausea, vomiting | |
| Supplements | Iron | Nausea, dysphagia, vomiting |
| Potassium | Nausea, dysphagia, vomiting | |
| Sympathomimetics | Decongestants | Anorexia |
| Other | Alcohol | Anorexia, gastrointestinal distress, impaired cognition, liver disease |
| Nicotine | Anorexia |
ACE: angiotensin-converting enzyme; COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2; NSAIDs: nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs; SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
* Some of the medications listed in this table are considered inappropriate for use in older adults. For additional information and potential alternatives, refer to the UpToDate topic review on drug prescribing in older adults.
¶ Anticholinergic activity of medications is reviewed separately. Refer to the UpToDate topic review on drug prescribing in older adults, section on anticholinergic activity and accompanying table.
Δ Chemotherapy drug emetogenicity, including delayed effects, is reviewed separately. Refer to the UpToDate topic review of prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.