Domperidone

Key facts

• Domperidone blocks dopamine receptors in the gut, helping the stomach empty faster and reducing nausea and vomiting. It is sold as tablets and liquid under names such as Motilium.
• It is usually taken shortly before meals, at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest time needed.
• Domperidone can prolong the heart's QT interval and cause serious, rarely fatal, heart rhythm problems. The risk rises with higher doses, in people over 60, and with other QT-prolonging medicines.
• Seek urgent care for a racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting, or chest pain.

What domperidone treats

Domperidone treats nausea and vomiting, including symptoms from delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis). It is not intended for long-term, everyday digestive discomfort, and is generally limited to short courses because of its heart rhythm risk.

How domperidone works

Dopamine normally slows movement of the stomach and intestines and can trigger nausea signals sent to the brain. Domperidone blocks dopamine receptors in the gut wall, so the stomach contracts more regularly and empties faster, and it blocks the nausea signal in an area near the brainstem that lies outside the main blood-brain barrier, without crossing into the brain itself in significant amounts.

Before you take it

• Do not take domperidone if you have a heart rhythm disorder, a known prolonged QT interval, moderate to severe liver disease, or if you take another medicine that prolongs the QT interval or strongly blocks its breakdown, such as certain antifungals or antibiotics.
• Tell your prescriber about any heart disease, low potassium or magnesium levels, or a pacemaker.
• Avoid combining domperidone with other drugs that slow heart rhythm or affect electrolytes without medical advice.
• Grapefruit juice can raise domperidone levels.

Side effects

Common effects include dry mouth, headache, stomach cramps, and breast tenderness or unusual milk production.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

• A racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat.
• Fainting or severe dizziness.
• Sudden breast swelling or discharge with pain.
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as facial swelling or difficulty breathing.

Safety essentials

• Domperidone's heart rhythm risk is dose-related: stay at or below the lowest effective dose, and do not exceed the recommended treatment length without medical review.
• Have your potassium and magnesium levels checked if you take diuretics or have kidney disease, since low levels increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythms.
• Tell your pharmacist about every other medicine you take, since many common drugs raise domperidone levels or add to its effect on heart rhythm.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.