Treatment of hyperprolactinemia with the dopamine agonist cabergoline: Clinical experience in the United States

Cabergoline, a long-acting D-2-specific dopamine agonist, recently has been approved in the United States for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia. Most of the studies with this agent have been conducted in Europe; however, three studies have been conducted at medical centers in the United States. The first, a prospective trial of once weekly cabergoline in patients with macroprolactinomas, was published and will be summarized here. The second, a compassionate use program in patients intolerant of and/or resistant to bromocriptine, has recently been completed and is undergoing data analysis. The third, a multicenter international trial including one United States site, addresses the effects of cabergoline in previously untreated patients with macroadenomas. Thus far, the United States experience with cabergoline has demonstrated once weekly dosing to be effective and extremely well tolerated.