Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan;22(1):23-27.
doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.10.005. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

ABH Gel: Comforting Cure or Pricey Placebo?

Affiliations

ABH Gel: Comforting Cure or Pricey Placebo?

Amie Taggart Blaszczyk et al. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Despite a lack of evidence of benefit, the compounded product ABH gel (lorazepam, diphenhydramine, and haloperidol) continues to be prescribed for individuals in hospice and palliative care settings for the treatment of nausea and vomiting and terminal delirium. More effective and reliable pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies exist for the treatment of these conditions in the palliative care and hospice settings. We discuss the pharmacokinetic and clinical evidence for the individual components of ABH gel, as well as the compounded product, and attempt to understand the mechanism of effect that some purport to see, as well as why the compound continues to enjoy such a cult following. Truly, the continued use of ABH gel makes for a pricey placebo and delays the treatment of end-of-life symptoms with modalities that work.

Keywords: Benzodiazepines; antipsychotic agents; hospice care; nausea; palliative supportive care; psychomotor agitation; vomiting.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources