Which medication is used as a prokinetic agent to treat nausea and vomiting?

Metoclopramide is a medication known for its prokinetic properties, making it effective in treating nausea and vomiting. It works by enhancing gastrointestinal motility and accelerating gastric emptying, which is particularly useful for patients experiencing nausea due to delayed gastric emptying or certain gastrointestinal disorders. This action is achieved through its ability to antagonize dopamine receptors in the central nervous system, which in turn prevents the stimulation of the vomiting center and promotes gastric peristalsis.

In addition to its prokinetic effects, metoclopramide also has antiemetic properties, making it versatile for managing nausea related to chemotherapy, postoperative status, and gastroparesis.

While other options can also be used for nausea and vomiting, they do not have the same prokinetic effects. Ondansetron is primarily an antiemetic that works as a serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist, effective in preventing nausea related to chemotherapy or surgery but not specifically enhancing gastrointestinal motility. Promethazine is an antihistamine with antiemetic properties but does not actively promote gastric emptying. Domperidone, although a prokinetic agent and effective in treating nausea, is less commonly used in some regions due to safety concerns related to cardiac side