The efficacy of Domperidone (R 33812) in the treatment of postoperative vomiting. A double-blind study with a placebo.

One hundred patients (14-82 years) were given either domperidone 10 mg I.V. or a placebo after they had vomited postoperatively. The patients were then observed for six hours. A supplementary injection of domperidone 10 mg I.V. from an open supply was given if required. In the placebo group 47.9% of patients needed another injection but only 25% of patients in the domperidone group (p less than 0.01). Vomiting occurred later after domperidone than after the placebo (p less than 0.01). At the end of six hours 74% of patients in the domperidone group had no recurrence of vomiting compared with 38% in the control group. In this study neither vomiting nor the efficacy of domperidone were found to be related to the type of surgery, the type of anaesthetic or the physical status (ASA I-III) of the patient (p greater than 0.05).