Cabergoline is a D2-specific ergot-derived dopamine agonist, used for treatment of Parkinson’s disease and to treat excess prolactin levels in hyperprolactinaemia. Recent reports have indicated that treatment of Parkinson’s disease with cabergoline, typically at a dose of 3 mg daily, is associated with an increased risk of valvular heart disease. The dose used to treat hyperprolactinaemia is considerably lower, often between 0.5 to 1 mg twice weekly. However, it is unknown whether patients with hyperprolactinaemia treated with cabergoline are at a similar risk of clinically significant valvular regurgitation. In this study by Wakil et al, 44 hyperprolactinaemia patients who had been treated with cabergoline for at least 6 months underwent transthoracic echocardiography. They were compared to 566 sequential subjects reporting palpitations, taken from a contemporary echocardiography database.
The study found no significant, severe or moderate, right- or left-sided valvular regurgitation in either group. In the right heart echocardiography, there was an increased risk of clinically insignificant mild grade tricuspid and pulmonary valves regurgitation in the cabergoline group.
The authors conclude that cabergoline at doses sufficient to suppress hyperprolactinaemia for 3-4 years is not associated with an increased risk of clinically significant valvular regurgitation.
Wakil, A., Rigby, AS., Clark, AL., Kallvikbacka-Bennett, A., Atkin, SL.
European Journal of Endocrinology 2008 159: R11-R14
DOI:10.1530/EJE-08-0365