Domperidone, metoclopramide, metopimazine… So many molecules frequently used to fight once morest nausea and vomiting. But taking them is not trivial since it would increase the risk of ischemic stroke.
Several studies have already highlighted the risk of ischemic stroke inherent in taking antipsychotics, drugs with antidopaminergic properties. That is, they block the effect of dopamine. But other molecules have the same properties. This is the case of antiemetics, drugs used to fight once morest nausea and vomiting.
More than 2600 cases studied
Are they at the same risk of stroke? Until today, no study had answered the question even though these drugs are used very commonly: “in 2017 in France, more than 4 million people had had at least one reimbursement for metopimazine, the most used of them”, explains an Inserm team which has therefore looked into the question.
The results of this study suggest an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the first days of use.
The scientists analyzed the data of more than 2,600 adults hospitalized for a first ischemic stroke and who started treatment with antiemetics in the 70 days preceding the accident. “In these subjects, the analyzes found a higher consumption of antiemetics in the days preceding the stroke,” they explain.
“The results of this study suggest an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the first days of using antidopaminergic antiemetic drugs.”
What regarding the frequency of side effects?
And this risk was found for the three antiemetics studied, domperidone (Motilium®, Peridys®, Oroperidys®), metoclopramide (Anausin metoclopramide®, Primperan®, Prokinyl LP®) or metopimazine (Vogalène®).
For the authors, “this first study provides a strong signal, relating to drugs widely used in the general population. In the immediate future, it seems very important that these results can be replicated in other studies”. And this to inform the exact frequency of this undesirable effect.
