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Use of Cisapride

Cisapride is a prescription medication used to manage and treat the symptoms of nighttime heartburn. Heartburn is a medical condition that is characterized by the feeling of burning in the throat or the chest. It is also painful. Cisapride comes in both liquid and tablet forms, and is administered orally. In general, the medication is taken four times every day. It is only used to treat heartburn.

    Minor Side Effects

    • Use of Cisapride can lead to several minor side effects, including discomfort of the stomach, diarrhea, coughing, constipation, stuffy nose and headache. If you have any of these side effects and they are particularly persistent or get worse with time (instead of going away), speak to your doctor.

    Serious Side Effects

    • Serious side effects of Cisapride are uncommon, but they can be potentially harmful. Severe side effects of this heartburn medicine are chest pain and changes in vision (such as blurriness). If you experience these side effects, seek emergency medical assistance.

    Warning

    • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that Cisapride use can lead to the very severe potential side effect of irregular heart rhythms, also known as cardiac arrhythmia. Due to this fact, Cisapride is no longer available in the United States for the treatment of heartburn (it is not believed to be safe).

    Function

    • Cisapride is classified as a prokinetic agent and works by increasing contractions of the muscles (within the lower esophagus) and its sphincter. The sphincter (which is situated between the stomach and the esophagus) usually stops reflux of acid from traveling into the esophagus. Cisapride reduces stomach acid reflux by making the sphincter stronger (along with the contractions of the peristaltic muscle).

    Caution

    • Cisapride users (outside of the United States) should approach the medicine with caution. Inform your doctor of any medications and dietary supplements you might be using, as well as of any medical conditions you might have. Some people are advised against using Cisapride, such as those with kidney or heart problems, angina (chest pain), respiratory issues, and low levels of magnesium or potassium.

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