Acute coronary artery thrombosis in a postpartum woman receiving bromocriptine

A 35-year-old postpartum woman who was receiving bromocriptine (Parlodel) for only several days to suppress lactation experienced an episode of a seizure, complained of chest pains, and died in the emergency department. At autopsy, acute coronary thrombosis of the left main, left anterior descending, and circumflex arteries was found. Cases of reported cardiac-related complications associated with bromocriptine use in the puerperium are extremely rare. The mechanism of bromocriptine-related acute coronary thrombosis is poorly understood and warrants further scrutiny, because the synthetic brominated ergopeptide is generally regarded as safe. The updated review of reports available in literature mandates the acknowledgment of possible serious and even lethal cardiac events as a result of untoward effects of bromocriptine.