Does domperidone pose cardiac electrophysiological risks similar to cisapride in the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders?
Domperidone should not be considered a no-risk alternative to cisapride due to similar cardiac electrophysiological effects at clinically relevant concentrations.
Domperidone possesses cardiac electrophysiological effects similar to those of cisapride and class III antiarrhythmic drugs. These effects are observed at clinically relevant concentrations of the drug. Therefore, domperidone should not be considered a no-risk alternative to cisapride, a drug that was recently withdrawn from the US market.
Drolet et al. (Tue,) studied this question.