Methods of using domperidone to terminate acute episodes of cardiac arrhythmia, to restore normal sinus rhythm or heart rate, to prevent recurrence of cardiac arrhythmia and to maintain normal sinus rhythm or heart rate in mammals

1 . A method of terminating acute episodes of cardiac arrhythmia in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal an amount of domperidone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, derivative or metabolite thereof, effective to terminate an acute episode of cardiac arrhythmia.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of domperidone is administered.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable salt is selected from the group consisting of salts derived from hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, pamoic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, sulfanilic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoic acid, fumaric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethane disulfonic acid, oxalic acid, isethionic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cardiac arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said domperidone is administered in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle.

7 . A method for maintaining normal sinus rhythm or heart rate in a mammal that has experienced at least one prior episode of cardiac arrhythmia comprising administering to said mammal an amount of domperidone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, derivative or metabolite thereof, effective to maintain normal sinus rhythm or heart rate.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of domperidone is administered.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable salt is selected from the group consisting of salts derived from hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, pamoic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, sulfanilic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoic acid, fumaric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethane disulfonic acid, oxalic acid, isethionic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said cardiac arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the mammal is a human.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said domperidone is administered in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle.

13 . A method for preventing a recurrence of an episode of cardiac arrhythmia in a mammal that has experienced at least one prior episode of cardiac arrhythmia comprising administering to said mammal an amount of domperidone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, derivative or metabolite thereof, effective to prevent a recurrence of cardiac arrhythmia.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of domperidone is administered.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable salt is selected from the group consisting of salts derived from hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, pamoic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, sulfanilic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoic acid, fumaric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethane disulfonic acid, oxalic acid, isethionic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said cardiac arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the mammal is a human.

18 . A method of restoring normal sinus rhythm or heart rate in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal an amount of domperidone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, derivative or metabolite thereof, effective to restore normal sinus rhythm or heart rate.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of domperidone is administered.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable salt is selected from the group consisting of salts derived from hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, pamoic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, sulfanilic acid, 2-acetoxy-benzoic acid, fumaric acid, toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethane disulfonic acid, oxalic acid, isethionic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said cardiac arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation.

22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mammal is a human.

23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said domperidone is administered in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or vehicle.

24 . A method of modulating the activity of an ion channel of mammalian cell, comprising contacting a mammalian cell with an effective amount of domperidone, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt, derivative or metabolite thereof.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein said ion channel is a cardiac potassium ion channel, a cardiac calcium ion channel and a cardiac sodium ion channel.

26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein said mammalian cell is a human cardiac muscle cell.