. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 May 30.

Published in final edited form as: Psychosomatics. 2010 Sep-Oct;51(5):370–376. doi: 10.1176/appi.psy.51.5.370

TABLE 1.

Agents Used to Treat Prolactinomas and Associated Hyperprolactinemia in the United States^4,21,39,40

Medication Name	Mechanism of Action	Medical Side Effects	Rare Psychiatric Side Effects	Comments
Bromocriptine	Dopamine (D₂) agonism	Nausea	Nightmares	Oldest agent: Daily to twice-daily dosing
		Vomiting	Hallucinations
		Orthostatic hypotension	Psychosis
		Headaches	Insomnia
			Pathological gambling
			Mood elevation
Cabergoline	Dopamine (D₂ and weak D₁) agonism	Less likely to cause	Nightmares	Newer agent: Longer half-life
		Nausea	Hallucinations	Greater affinity for D₂ receptor
		Orthostatic hypotension	Psychosis	Once to twice-weekly dosing in most patients
		Headaches	Insomnia
		Possible increased risk of cardiac valvular disease