Use of the peripheral dopamine antagonist, domperidone, in the management of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

An evaluation was carried out of the effect of domperidone on gastro-intestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Ninety-eight patients were included; 32 in an open pilot study and 66 in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Domperidone was taken at a dosage of 10 mg tablets 4-times daily. At the end of the 4-week treatment, symptoms had disappeared or were at least markedly improved in about 80% of the domperidone-treated patients. Significant superiority of domperidone to the placebo was observed for the symptom clusters 'post-prandial flatulence', 'abdominal pain' and 'abnormal bowel habit'. No side-effects were reported.