Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Recent trials suggest that using ergot-derived dopamine agonists such as cabergoline in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease is associated with an increased risk of valvular heart disease. However, the dose of cabergoline used to treat hyperprolactinaemia is considerably less than that used in Parkinson’s disease.

Study design: A cross-sectional study; forty four patients, who received cabergoline for at least 6 months, underwent transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate their heart valves. As the study is of clinical and safety need, the Local Ethics Committee did not require a written consent but all subjects consented verbally prior to echocardiography.

Results: Clinically insignificant grade 1 (65.9%) and grade 2 (11.4%) tricuspid valve regurgitation were seen, and grade 1 valvular regurgitation was also observed in the pulmonary (47.7%) and mitral valves (52.2%). No patient had any clinically significant grade 3 or 4 valvular heart regurgitation.

Conclusion

Cabergoline at doses sufficient to suppress hyperprolactinaemia for a period of 3–4 years is not associated with an increased incidence of clinically significant heart valve regurgitation, but the low grade regurgitation seen suggests continued cardiac surveillance is required.