Bromocriptine in Parkinson's disease: a study of cardiovascular effects

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 May;44(5):426-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.5.426.

Abstract

Blood pressure and pulse rate were studied in 20 Parkinsonian patients on no treatment, and during treatment with bromocriptine (mean dosage 148 mg/day) as the sole anti-Parkinsonian therapy. The drug was shown to reduce erect systolic and diastolic and supine systolic blood pressure and to increase erect pulse rate, in a predictable dose-dependent manner. The occurrence of episodes of significant postural hypotension was less predictable and was a transitory phenomenon in all patients. Peripheral dopamine receptor blockade with domperidone did not alter the findings, suggesting that the principal mechanism for these cardiovascular effects is a central dopaminergic one.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacology
  • Benzimidazoles / therapeutic use
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • Bromocriptine / pharmacology
  • Bromocriptine / therapeutic use*
  • Domperidone
  • Humans
  • Parkinson Disease / drug therapy*
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology
  • Piperidines / pharmacology
  • Piperidines / therapeutic use
  • Pulse / drug effects*

Substances

  • Benzimidazoles
  • Piperidines
  • Bromocriptine
  • Domperidone