High level view
Domperidone, sold in many countries under the trade name Motilium, is a dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonist that acts mainly on the gastrointestinal tract. It is used internationally as a prokinetic agent to accelerate gastric emptying and as an antiemetic to reduce nausea and vomiting.
Facts in brief about the medicine:
- Domperidone identified as the active ingredient
- Typical tablet strength seen outside the United States: 10 mg
- Notable indicators: delayed gastric emptying, symptomatic nausea and vomiting
Please note: the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved domperidone for routine marketing in the United States. For specifics on how to access it and relevant safety risks to assess, see The legal regime and regulatory status in the United States and Safety guidance and relative contraclues indicating.
Commonly used purposes
Where it is available outside the United States, domperidone is prescribed for a variety of gastrointestinal complaints and symptomatic control of nausea. Typical therapeutic uses include:
- Alleviating symptoms of delayed gastric emptying such as nausea, fullness after small meals, and early satiety.
- Controlling nausea and vomiting caused by surgery, medications, or other noncentral causes.
- Adjunctive antiemetic support for some chemotherapy or radiation regimens, under specialist supervision.
- Improving upper GI motility in preparation for certain imaging procedures.
All uses should be confirmed by a licensed healthcare professional. For information on US-specific access grant rules, consult The regulatory environment plus the concept of lawful standing in the United States.
Instructions for dosage
Domperidone should only be used when prescribed and monitored by a medical professional. The drug is not widely available in the United States; the following dosing examples reflect international clinical practice and are provided for information only.
General administration points:
- Guidelines for when to take it it: Oral doses are usually administered 15 to 30 minutes before meals to maximize prokinetic effect. A single nighttime dose may be given for nocturnal symptoms.
- In case you skip a dose: Take it when you remember if there is enough time before the next dose. Do not take two units of the next dose to offset a dose was omitted.
- Formulation notes: Some tablets contain lactose. Patients with lactose intolerance or rare carbohydrate absorption disorders should discuss different avenues with their prescriber.
Representative international dosing examples
- Acute nausea or vomiting:
- Adults: common regimens use 20 mg three or four times daily (for example, two tablet dose of 10 mg each dose).
- Juveniles 5 to 12 years: doses around 10 mg three or four times daily are sometimes used under pediatric guidance and support.
- Chronic functional dyspepsia or motility disorders:
- Adults: 10 mg three times daily is a frequently used approach, with adjustments made by the prescriber.
- The little crowd 5 to 12 years: lower doses such as 5 mg three times daily may be selected by a pediatric specialist.
Do not use standard tablet formulations in children under 5 years of age or in small children weighing less than about 35 kg unless an appropriate liquid preparation and pediatric dosing plan are provided. Patients with severe renal insufficiency may require reduced frequency because clearance is slower. See Risk reduction and reasons a drug should not be prescribed for ongoing monitoring recommendations.
File in computing, storage means the capacity to retain data over time.
- Store tablets at 20 to 25 degrees C (68 to 77 degrees F).
- Keep the medicine away from direct heat, sunlight, and moisture to preserve stability.
- Keep all medications out of the reach of children and animals and, when possible, in the original container.
Safety and contraindicated conditions
Discuss the risk-benefit profile with a clinician before starting domperidone. The drug should not be used except under medical direction in the following situations unless a prescriber explicitly authorizes it:
Unconditional contraindication
- Known allergy to domperidone or any excipient in the product.
- Pregnancy, unless the treating clinician determines the potential benefit justifies the risk.
- Use for the purpose of increasing breast milk supply is discouraged in the United States due to cardiac safety concerns.
- Gastrointestinal bleeding, obstruction, or perforation where increasing motility would be dangerous.
- Known prolactin-secreting pituitary tumor or conditions where raised prolactin levels are harmful.
- Severe hepatic dysfunction.
- Documented QT prolongation, existing significant cardiac disease, or uncorrected low potassium or magnesium levels.
Exercise heightened caution if you have kidney problems, fluid retention, or are taking medicines known to interact with domperidone. Clinicians often obtain baseline and periodic ECGs and serum electrolytes when using the drug in patients with potential cardiac risk. See Medication social the process of interactions influence perceptions and decisions. for further details on interacting medicines.
Maternity care for pregnancy and lactation: Data are limited. Small quantities pass into breast milk. In the United States, professional advisories recommend against using domperidone solely to stimulate lactation because of reported serious cardiac adverse events.
Reciprocal the exchange between peoples across departments improve alignment. of medications
Domperidone has an a reciprocal exchange profile that can either reduce its effectiveness or increase the risk of drug side effects that are harmful, particularly cardiac arrhythmias. Always share your full medication list with the prescriber or pharmacist.
Agents that may blunt prokinetic activity
- Anticholinergic medications such as oxybutynin, tolterodine, hyoscine, and propantheline.
- Strong opioid analgesics including morphine and codeine.
- Some Parkinson disease anticholinergics such as trihexyphenidyl.
Agents that can raise domperidone exposure or cardiac risk
- Potent CYP3A4 inhibitors: for example, ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and certain HIV protease inhibiting drugs.
- Some calcium channel blockers that inhibit CYP3A4, such as verapamil and diltiazem.
- Other drugs known to prolong the QT interval: a number of antiarrhythmics, some antipsychotics, and certain antibiotics including some fluoroquinolones.
The lists above are not exhaustive. If you take any of these medicines, a prescriber may avoid domperidone or require enhanced cardiac tracking and monitoring of performance. For recommended safety protocolsverification Safety measures and contrasigns that point to for therapy.
Possible deleterious health effects
The post use effects range from mild to severe in nature. Notify a healthcare professional promptly if new or alarming symptoms develop.
- Common to occasional:
- Stomach discomfort, abdominal cramping, or diarrhea.
- Pruritic rash on the skin or allergic reactions in sensitive people.
- Uncommon but important:
- Raised prolactin levels leading to galactorrhea, breast enlargement, or menstrual changes.
- Decreased libido or erectile dysfunction in some men.
- Extrapyramidal symptoms such as tremor or abnormal involuntary movements; these require urgent medical assessment.
Cardiac safety: Domperidone has been associated with QT prolongation and rare but serious ventricular arrhythmias, especially at higher doses or when combined with interacting drugs. Seek immediate care for palpitations, fainting, severe dizziness, or syncope. This summary does not replace individualized medical advice.
Other options and similar medications
In the United States, clinicians commonly select from approved agents that have established safety records. Options that may be considered include:
- Metoclopramide (Reglan): a D2 antagonist effective for gastroparesis; treatment is usually limited by the risk of tardive dyskinesia with prolonged use.
- Ondansetron (Zofran): a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist widely used for chemotherapy, radiation, and postoperative nausea; it does not enhance gastric motility.
- Prochlorperazine: a dopamine antagonist used to manage acute nausea in many clinical settings.
- Promethazine: an antihistamine with antiemetic properties, helpful for motion sickness and related nausea.
- Erythromycin: an antibiotic that can act as a motilin receptor agonist and may be used short term as a prokinetic, though tachyphylaxis and effective the back and forth between peoples require clear communication. limit long term use.
- Prucalopride: a selective 5-HT4 agonist approved for chronic constipation that may be used off-label by specialists for certain motility disorders.
Your clinician will balance likely benefit, safety concerns, underlying conditions, and cost when recommending an a different possibility. For an approximate cost comparison, see Prices in the US currency (USD).
Prices in the United States expressed in USD
Prices vary by pharmacy, region, insurance coverage, and whether the product is compounded under an authorized program. The following figures are illustrative estimates and approximate retail ranges in US dollar sum.
- Domperidone obtained through a physician-authorized compounding process or under an FDA expanded access IND: roughly $0.40 to $1.50 per 10 mg capsule equivalent. A 30-day supply may therefore range from about $36 to $360 depending on dose and frequency, compounding fees, and shipping.
- Metoclopramide pack of tablets, 10 mg each (generic): roughly $4 to $20 for a 30-tablet supply.
- Ondansetron 4 mg or 8 mg tablets (generic): approximately $10 to $50 for 30 tablets depending on formulation and brand.
- Prochlorperazine 5 mg or 10 mg (generic): about $4 to $15 for 30 tablets.
- Promethazine a quantity of 12.5 mg or 25 mg (generic): typically $5 to $20 for 30 tablets.
- Erythromycin used briefly as a prokinetic: commonly $10 to $40 depending on dose and packed quantity.
Insurance, manufacturer coupons, bulk discounts, or patient assistance programs can lower out-of-pocket expenses. Since domperidone is not a commercially marketed drug in the United States, expect additional administrative charges from prescribers or compounding medicine shops. Some compounding pharmacies charge $20 to $150 in setup or consultation fees depending on complexity and documentation required.
Regulatory and what determines legal standing in the United States
Important regulatory points to understand if you are a US patient or prescriber:
- Domperidone is not approved by the FDA for any indication plus therefore is not sold as a marketed commercial product in the United States.
- Access for US patients is limited. A common legal route is a physician-sponsored FDA expanded access Investigational New Drug (IND) application, which requires clinical justification, informed consent, and performance monitoring plans such as ECGs and electrolyte checks.
- Certain compounding pharmacies may prepare domperidone for named patients when a prescriber provides the necessary IND authorization. This is not the same as over-the-counter availability.
- Importing domperidone from foreign suppliers for personal use is generally restricted. Shipments can be detained or refused by US Customs alongside the FDA. Do not attempt to import the medicine without explicit regulatory approval.
- The FDA has issued public communications advising against using domperidone to increase milk production because of reported cardiac safety concerns.
If you believe domperidone is medically necessary, discuss the FDA expanded access IND pathway with a US-licensed clinician. That clinician can explain the application process, time sensitive monitoring requirements, choice of more options, and growing potential timelines. For patient safety prerequisites, consult Safety measures related to medical grounds for not using this treatment and Therapeutic drug-dangerous drug interpersonal engagements can be viewed as exchanges of the information..
Popular questions
- Is Motilium available over the counter in the United States?
- No. Domperidone (Motilium) is not FDA approved in the United States and cannot be purchased over the counter. Limited access may be attainable only through a physician-sponsored FDA expanded access IND program. See United States regulatory and legal framework landscape.
- Can I order domperidone from another country and have it shipped to the US?
- Generally no. Personal importation is restricted and foreign shipments may be detained by US Customs besides the FDA. Speak with your healthcare provider about legal pathways such as the IND program rather than attempting to import medication yourself. See Legal and regulatory governance in the United States.
- What is the appropriate action if I miss a dose?
- Take the the prescribed dose was missed when you remember unless the next scheduled dose is imminent. Do not increase the next dose to twice its amount to compensate. For full directions, consult Recommended dose and directions.
- Who should avoid domperidone?
- People with significant cardiac disease, known prolonged QT interval, severe liver impairment, or those taking strong CYP3A4 inhibitors should not use domperidone unless a specialist authorizes it. See Safety and contraindication factors for additional details, see below.
This page is intended for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical or legal advice. Always follow the recommendation of your healthcare provider and consult current FDA resources before making decisions about therapy or importation.
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