From the Guidelines

Intravenous (IV) glucose does not typically cause vomiting.

The evidence suggests that IV glucose can be used as an alternative to oral carbohydrate loading in patients who cannot eat or drink preoperatively, with similar effects on insulin resistance, protein metabolism, and cardiac protection 1.
Studies have shown that carbohydrate loading, including IV glucose, can reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting in general and orthopaedic surgery 1.
The use of IV glucose loading has been shown to have beneficial effects on metabolism, including reducing insulin resistance and postoperative hyperglycaemia, without causing significant vomiting 1.
A glucose infusion at a rate of 5 mg/kg per min can be used to achieve these effects, with a higher concentration of glucose (usually 20%) administered intravenously to ensure a sufficient insulin response 1.
While the evidence is not entirely consistent, the majority of studies suggest that IV glucose does not cause significant vomiting, and may even help reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting 1.

From the Research

The relationship between intravenous glucose administration and vomiting is complex and has been studied in various contexts.
A study published in 2017 2 found that intravenous dextrose administration reduced the odds of vomiting events compared to placebo in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
However, another study published in 2013 3 found that the administration of intravenous dextrose during emergence from anesthesia was not associated with a difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
A meta-analysis published in 2019 4 found that perioperative dextrose infusion was not associated with a significant reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting, but it did reduce antiemetic administration within the first 24 hours of surgery.
It is worth noting that the effect of intravenous glucose on vomiting may depend on various factors, such as the type of surgery, the dose and timing of glucose administration, and individual patient characteristics.

Some studies suggest that factors such as blood glucose levels, diabetic complications, and the use of certain medications (e.g., proton pump inhibitors, histamine-2 receptor antagonists) may influence the occurrence of nausea and vomiting 5, 6.
For example, a study published in 2019 6 found that female sex, retinopathy, and treatment with proton pump inhibitors or histamine-2 receptor antagonists were significant risk factors for nausea and vomiting in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.

The administration of intravenous glucose can affect blood glucose levels, which may in turn influence the occurrence of vomiting 5, 4.
A study published in 2023 5 found that the administration of dexamethasone, which can increase blood glucose levels, was associated with an increased risk of postoperative hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes undergoing elective surgery.