An estimated 1.25 million deaths due to vitamin A deficiency have been averted in 40 countries since 1998. In 2013, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was 29% in low-income and middle-income countries, remaining highest in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. A 2017 review (updated in 2022) found that vitamin A supplementation in children five years old and younger in 70 countries was associated with a 12% reduction in mortality rate. The review reported that synthetic vitamin A supplementation may not be the best long‐term solution for vitamin A deficiency, but rather food fortification, improved food distribution programs, and crop improvement, such as for fortified rice or vitamin A-rich sweet potato, may be more effective in eradicating vitamin A deficiency. References
Further reading
UNICEF, Vitamin A Supplementation: A Decade of Progress, UNICEF, New York, 2007. Flour Fortification Initiative, GAIN, Micronutrient Initiative, USAID, The World Bank, UNICEF, Investing in the Future: A United Call to Action on Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies, 2009. UNICEF, Improving Child Nutrition: The achievable imperative for global progress, UNICEF, New York, 2013. External links
Nutrition International
Global Alliance for Vitamin A
UNICEF Data on Vitamin A Deficiency and Supplementation
Helen Keller International
A2Z
World Health Organization Database on Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A Deficiency on IAPB
Medical care is recommended if: a person cannot keep any liquids down, has symptoms more than 2 days, is weak, has a fever, has stomach pain, vomits more than two times in a day or does not urinate for more than 8 hours. Medications
Many pharmacologic medications are available for the treatment of nausea. There is no medication that is clearly superior to other medications for all cases of nausea. The choice of antiemetic medication may be based on the situation during which the person experiences nausea. For people with motion sickness and vertigo, antihistamines and anticholinergics such as meclizine and scopolamine are particularly effective. Nausea and vomiting associated with migraine headaches respond best to dopamine antagonists such as metoclopramide, prochlorperazine, and chlorpromazine. In cases of gastroenteritis, serotonin antagonists such as ondansetron were found to suppress nausea and vomiting, as well as reduce the need for IV fluid resuscitation. The combination of pyridoxine and doxylamine is the first line treatment for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. Dimenhydrinate is an inexpensive and effective over the counter medication for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Other factors to consider when choosing an antiemetic medication include the persons preference, side-effect profile, and cost. Nabilone is also indicated for this purpose. Alternative medicine
In certain people, cannabinoids may be effective in reducing chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting.