Use of the peripheral dopamine antagonist, domperidone, in the management of gastro-intestinal 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.