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Treating prolactinomas with dopamine agonists: always worth the gamble?

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Abstract

Dopamine agonists are the treatment of choice for all patients with prolactinomas. They are generally safe, effective, and well-tolerated. However, a link between their use and the development of impulse control disorders has been well recognized in the field of neurology for some time, and evidence for a similar effect in endocrine patients is emerging. This has mainly been revealed through clinical case reports, plus a small number of comparative studies of varying robustness. We review the current available literature and discuss the implications for clinical practice, in particular emphasizing the need for clinicians to be alert to these uncommon but serious adverse effects.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Elinor Harriss for her assistance with the literature search.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Sean Noronha, Victoria Stokes, Niki Karavitaki & Ashley Grossman

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  1. Sean Noronha
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  2. Victoria Stokes
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Correspondence to Victoria Stokes.

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Noronha, S., Stokes, V., Karavitaki, N. et al. Treating prolactinomas with dopamine agonists: always worth the gamble?. Endocrine 51, 205–210 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-015-0727-2

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