As a prokinetic agent, prucalopride (the active ingredient in Motegrity) works on the serotonin receptors (5-HT4) in the body to stimulate the bowels’ movement.
Motegrity is available via prescription as a round tablet in 1-milligram (mg) and 2-milligram doses.
What Is Motegrity Used For?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prucalopride for treating chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults.
Brand Name: Motegrity
Drug Availability: Prescription
Administration Route: Oral
Therapeutic Classification: Prokinetic
Available Generically: No
Controlled Substance: No
Active Ingredient: Prucalopride
Dosage Form: Tablet
Prucalopride helps stimulate bowel movements to improve constipation symptoms. It is often not the first treatment choice for this condition, but it is usually prescribed after therapies like osmotic laxatives do not work.
How to Take Motegrity
Use this medicine exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Follow all the directions on your medication label, and do not take more than prescribed. You can take Motegrity without regard to food.
Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you do not understand how to take your medications.
Storage
Store Motegrity tablets in the original container at a controlled room temperature of 59 F to 77 F. Keep away from moisture and heat. Keep out of the reach of children and pets. When traveling, transport prucalopride in your carry-on or your checked baggage with its original label.
Off-Label Uses
Healthcare providers may prescribe prucalopride for off-label uses, meaning for conditions not specifically indicated by the FDA.
Prucalopride may be used off-label to treat:
Gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying) Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation Opioid-induced constipation
If you are prescribed Motegiry for an off-label condition, always follow your healthcare provider’s guidance on how to take it. Misusing this medication without the advice of a healthcare provider can result in severe or life-threatening side effects.
What Are the Side Effects of Motegrity?
This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist. You may report side effects to the FDA at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.
Common Side Effects
Common side effects of Motegrity can include:
Headache Stomach pain Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Bloating Dizziness Flatulence Fatigue
Severe Side Effects
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.
Motegrity can result in suicidal thoughts or actions and new or worsening depression. Stop taking it immediately and contact your healthcare provider if you notice suicidal ideation and behaviors or severe mood changes.
Dosage: How Much Motegrity Should I Take?
Modifications
Certain factors may affect how you take Motegrity. Before starting treatment, talk to your healthcare provider if any of the following apply to you.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your healthcare provider may send a report to theFDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
For oral dosage form (tablets): For chronic idiopathic constipation: Adults—2 milligrams (mg) once a day. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Pregnancy
The risk of taking Motegrity during pregnancy is unknown. Your healthcare provider may enroll you in a registry that monitors outcomes in individuals exposed to Motegrity during pregnancy.
Lactation
Prucalopride is present in breast milk. The effects on a breastfed infant or milk production are unknown. Talk with your healthcare provider about feeding your baby while taking Motegrity. If you are breastfeeding while on prucalopride, it is recommended to watch for diarrhea in the breastfed infant.
Use in Older Adults
No overall differences in safety and effectiveness were observed between older (65 and up) and younger people. Older people may need an adjusted dose based on kidney function.
Renal Impairment
Motegrity leaves the body through the kidneys. A lower dose is recommended in people with severe kidney impairment because the risk of adverse reactions may be greater in this population.
Liver Impairment
People with liver issues do not need to adjust their dosage.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medication, take it as soon as you remember. However, you can skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Resume medication at your next scheduled time. Do not take extra to make up for the missed dose. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are unsure of what to do
Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Motegrity?
Motegrity overdose can happen if you take too much of it. Overdose symptoms include headache, nausea, and diarrhea.
Precautions
What Are the Reasons I Shouldn’t Take Motegrity?
Avoid taking Motegrity if you are allergic to it or if you have:
If someone collapses or isn’t breathing after taking Motegrity, call 911 immediately.
This medicine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Make sure the doctor knows if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell the doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.
A tear in your intestines (intestinal perforation) Bowel obstruction Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis Toxic megacolon/megarectum
What Other Medications Interact With Motegrity?
There are no significant interactions known for Motegrity. Tell your healthcare provider about all your medications, including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
What Medications Are Similar?
Medications similar to Motegrity include:
Zelnorm (tegaserod) Linzess (linaclotide) Amitiza (lubiprostone)
Zelnorm (tegaserod)
Tegaserod is approved only in adult women under 65 with constipation-dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). It works similarly to Motegrity by binding serotonin type-4 (5-HT4) receptors to stimulate gut motility.
Tegaserod is taken twice daily, which can be more burdensome than Motegrity. Avoid tegaserod if you have ever had a heart attack, stroke, angina, intestinal ischemia, liver or kidney disease, and those with a history of bowel obstruction, active gallbladder disease, or suspected dysfunction with your sphincter of Oddi.
Linzess (linaclotide)
Linaclotide treats IBS-C and chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. It increases intestinal fluid secretion and movement by targeting guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C) receptors. Those with any intestinal blockage should not take this medication.
Amitiza (lubiprostone)
Lubiprostone is a prescription laxative medication in the class of drugs known as prostaglandins. It is approved to treat adults with long-term constipation and IBS-C in women.
Lubiprostone increases the amount of fluid in the bowels by boosting chloride production in the intestine. This helps soften the stool, allowing it to pass more easily. It is uncertain if this medication is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Avoid Amitiza if you have a bowel obstruction or severe diarrhea.
How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Motegrity?
Motegrity treats chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. Idiopathic means the cause of constipation is unknown. While this uncertainty can be frustrating, many people find relief with medications like Motegrity. Outside of medicine, it is vital to maintain a healthy gut by eating a high-fiber diet and exercising regularly.
Your depression gets worseYou begin to have thoughts of hurting yourselfYou have tried to hurt yourselfYou develop new depression
The most common side effects include:
HeadacheNausea or vomitingDizzinessGas or bloatingStomach painDiarrheaFatigue
These are not all the possible side effects of Motegrity. Call your healthcare provider or pharmacist for medical advice about side effects.
Stop using prucalopride and contact your healthcare provider at once if you experience:
Unusual changes in mood or behaviorOngoing or worsening depressionThoughts about suicide or hurting yourself orSad or hopeless feelings
Remember to take Motegrity once a day as directed by your healthcare provider. If you keep forgetting to take it, consider setting alarms or reminders. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist any questions about the medication.
