PEBC: What You Need to Know: Dopamine Agonists

Indication: Parkinson’s Disease, restless leg syndrome

Examples: Pramipexole, ropinirole, bromocriptine, rotigotine, apomorphine

Dosing: multiple times daily for oral formulations

Adverse Effects:

-dopamine (reward-related): compulsive behaviours (sexual, gambling, shopping)

-dizziness and orthostatic hypotension

-hallucinations

-dyskinesia

-edema

-nausea, constipation

-sleep attacks

-Raynaud’s phenomenon

-rare: valve fibrosis (more likely with older ergots like bromocriptine)

Drug Interactions:

-increased risk of serotonin syndrome with SSRIs and MAO inhibitors

-antipsychotics: antagonistic effect (blocks dopamine)

-antihypertensives: additive dizziness