Antiemetic choice is dictated by the mechanism of vomiting, whether from gastric distension (prokinetic), poisoning (centrally acting) or vestibular disturbance (targeting acetylcholine or H2 receptors). Readers are provided with information on the most commonly used antiemetics and their clinical use to help guide therapy.

Patients with liver disease present particular challenges to the new prescriber. This chapter runs through the most commonly used drugs in this group of patients, including dose and indication, and describes which drugs to avoid.

One-third of all patients over the age of 65 who present to hospital are at risk of malnorishment, which increases their susceptibility to illness and infection. Therefore, feeding the patients assumes paramount importance. Readers are introduced to the key considerations for administering parenteral nutrition, the principles for calculating how much to give and the potential complications of this method of nutrition, including refeeding syndrome.

Constipation in the adult patient is common. Before prescribing, readers are reminded of the importance of diagnosis, identifying a cause and prompting the patient to pursue nonpharmacological measures before electing to prescribe a laxative. Different classes of laxative, from bulk forming to stimulant and osmotic laxatives, are described. Finally, the authors remind new prescribers of the importance of regular review.

Gastrointestinal complaints are regularly encountered. Readers are provided with top tips to manage dyspepsia, diarrhoea, high output stomas and acute exacerbations of inflammatory bowel disease. Finally, the authors provide a brief summary of how to manage patients before endoscopy.