Cabergoline and hyperprolactinaemia: new preparation. Better than bromocriptine

(1) Cabergoline, a dopamine agonist already marketed in about 40 countries, is indicated in France for the treatment of hyperprolactinaemia (idiopathic or caused by a pituitary microadenoma). The reference drug in this setting is bromocriptine. (2) The clinical file on cabergoline is methodologically sound, albeit limited mainly to women with amenorrhoea. (3) Two partially blinded comparative trials have shown that cabergoline is significantly more effective than bromocriptine in restarting ovulatory cycles with menstruation. (4) In these trials the incidence of nausea was significantly lower on cabergoline than on bromocriptine. Other adverse events seem to be equally frequent with the two drugs. (5) Cabergoline is effective when taken once or twice a week, while bromocriptine needs to be taken several times a day.