Dronabinol (Marinol)

ATI-format individual drug card with NCLEX-focused assessment, safety, teaching, and source attribution.

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GI / Liver / PancreasNeuroneeds review

Dronabinol (Marinol)

ATI class: Antiemetic / Cannabinoid

Action

  • Activates cannabinoid receptors to reduce nausea and stimulate appetite.
  • Produces CNS effects that can alter mood, perception, and coordination.

Therapeutic use

  • Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting when other antiemetics are inadequate
  • Appetite stimulation for selected clients

Nursing assessment

  • Assess mental status, mood changes, dizziness, and fall risk.
  • Monitor appetite, weight trend, nausea/vomiting, and hydration.
  • Screen for substance-use history, cardiovascular risk, and older adult sensitivity.

Administration

  • PO capsule
  • Oral solution

Side effects

  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Euphoria
  • Nausea
  • Dry mouth

Adverse effects

  • Confusion
  • Hallucinations
  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Tachycardia

Interactions

  • Alcohol
  • Sedatives
  • Other CNS depressants
  • Drugs affected by CYP metabolism

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity
  • Sesame oil sensitivity for selected capsule formulations

Precautions

  • Use caution with psychiatric disorders, substance-use history, cardiovascular disease, older adults, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
  • Fall precautions matter because CNS effects can be strong.

Client teaching

  • Avoid alcohol, cannabis, driving, and hazardous activities until response is known.
  • Report hallucinations, severe mood changes, chest pain, syncope, or uncontrolled vomiting.
  • Store securely because this medication can impair judgment and has misuse risk.

Medication outcomes

  • Decreased nausea and vomiting
  • Improved appetite or weight trend when prescribed for appetite

Antidote / rescue

  • No specific antidote is seeded; manage toxicity with supportive care, safety precautions, and provider or poison-control guidance.

NCLEX priority cues

  • Hallucinations, severe confusion, syncope, or chest pain are priority findings.
  • CNS depression plus another sedative increases safety risk.
  • Appetite benefit does not override fall, misuse, or mental-status risk.

Medication classes

Antiemetics

Source attribution

Engage_MedTable_Dronabinol.pdf
ati-pdf
Google Drive ATI Engage antiemetic source folder
google-drive
Sentinel pharmacology API reference
sentinel-api

Related study cards

Shows the medication class, ATI cues, source references, and connected study cards for this drug.

12 study links
Med classmedication class
Antiemetics

Reduces nausea through different pathways, including serotonin, dopamine, histamine, muscarinic, cannabinoid, and NK1 receptor effects.

ATI cueMechanism of Action
Activates cannabinoid receptors to reduce nausea and stimulate appetite.

ATI medication mechanism of action concept.

ATI cueInteraction
Alcohol

ATI medication interaction concept.

ATI cueClass
Antiemetic

ATI medication class concept.

ATI cueNCLEX Priority Cue
Appetite benefit does not override fall, misuse, or mental-status risk.

ATI medication nclex priority cue concept.

ATI cueTherapeutic Use
Appetite stimulation for selected clients

ATI medication therapeutic use concept.

ATI cueNursing Assessment
Assess mental status, mood changes, dizziness, and fall risk.

ATI medication nursing assessment concept.

ATI cueClient Teaching
Avoid alcohol, cannabis, driving, and hazardous activities until response is known.

ATI medication client teaching concept.

ATI cueClass
Cannabinoid

ATI medication class concept.

ATI cueTherapeutic Use
Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting when other antiemetics are inadequate

ATI medication therapeutic use concept.

ATI cueNCLEX Priority Cue
CNS depression plus another sedative increases safety risk.

ATI medication nclex priority cue concept.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
Confusion

ATI medication adverse effect concept.