Adverse Effects of Domperidone: Prolonged QuesT for Knowledge?

Excerpt

Domperidone, a dopamine (D) receptor antagonist which blocks D2 receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone centrally and the enteric nervous system peripherally, is an anti-emetic and prokinetic medication predominantly used for treating symptomatic gastroparesis. An important recent concern regarding the safety of domperidone is whether it can prolong the QT interval, increasing the probability of developing ventricular arrhythmias with consequent cardiac death, based on publications addressing its possible cardiotoxicity [1‐7]. Unlike metoclopramide, another D2 antagonist which has significant adverse effects particularly related to central nervous system and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a prokinetic agent in the USA, domperidone cannot be marketed legally for clinical use in this country, but is nevertheless available through an investigational new drug (IND) application. …