A case of constrictive pericarditis during cabergoline treatment for hyperprolactinaemia.

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with dopamine agonists has been associated with cardiopulmonary fibrotic reactions, predominantly in patients treated for Parkinson's disease. To our knowledge, these reactions have previously not been associated with low-dose cabergoline treatment for hyperprolactinaemia.

METHOD: A case of constrictive pericarditis in a patient treated with cabergoline for hyperprolactinaemia is presented. The patient has been treated at a county hospital and a university hospital in southern Sweden.

RESULTS

A 20-year-old woman with a 3-year history of amenorrhoea was referred to the department in 1992. From 2001 to 2005, she was given cabergoline, 0.5-1.5 mg/week. In 2005 a pericardectomy was performed due to fibrotic, constrictive pericarditis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our present case suggests that constrictive pericarditis may develop even on low-dose cabergoline, which might indicate that this reaction, as opposed to valvular fibrosis, is not mediated by a 5-HT(2B) agonistic mechanism.