A comparison of the efficacy of cinnarizine with scopolamine in the treatment of seasickness.

Scopolamine was compared with cinnarizine in a double-blind sea trial involving 179 subjects from the crews of 2 warships. Medication was initiated prophylactically when weather information indicated the approach of nauseogenic conditions. Ship motion was measured during drug treatment periods. In one ship, moderate to severe nauseogenic conditions were encountered; a parallel group comparison was achieved in this. In the other ship, the motion experienced was of a mild nature; a crossover comparison was achieved. Scopolamine was shown to be more effective than cinnarizine in protecting against the symptoms of seasickness. In mild motion, cinnarizine was better tolerated than scopolamine in having less marked side effects. As motion severity increased, the comparative tolerability of scopolamine improved.

INM investigations into drugs for seasickness prophylaxis.

A summary is presented of a programme of work investigating the comparative efficacy of the two drugs most commonly used for seasickness prophylaxis in the Royal Navy, hyoscine and cinnarizine. The programme had both laboratory and sea-trial components. It was shown that hyoscine was a more effective drug than cinnarizine, but cinnarizine had less marked side effects. This comparative superior tolerability of cinnarizine decreased as motion sickness increased. Guidance is given as to the optimum indications for each drug, together with prophylactic regimens.

Space motion sickness.

Space Motion Sickness (SMS) is the malady which frequently occurs shortly after attainment of sustained exposure to hypogravity. It is characterised by a variety of symptoms, which may proceed to nausea and eventually vomiting. Natural adaptation usually occurs if exposure to hypogravity is maintained. The condition appears to be the manifestation of motion sickness that is specific to hypogravity. It is associated with otolith-canal and otolith-eye conflict. SMS may have operational significance in impairing the performance of spacecraft crews. The condition is likely to be amenable to treatment with anti-motion sickness drugs. It may be possible to reduce any operational effects of SMS by suitable crew selection and training procedures.

Motion commotion--a seasickness update.

This review describes current concepts concerning the aetiology and nature of seasickness. The condition is a manifestation of the more general phenomenon of motion sickness. It may be understood by reference to a neural mismatch hypothesis and details of the nature of the provocative motion are described. Drug treatment of the condition is discussed.