Posted by kingcolon on December 2, 2007, at 23:32:02
In reply to dopamine agonists??, posted by B2chica on November 29, 2007, at 14:06:01
> please what meds are dopamine agonists?
>
I was on both Requip and Mirapex and found them fairly helpful for depression with anhedonic symptoms. However, I stopped them recently because there was an article in the New England Journal of Medicine that showed that even non-ergot dopamine agonists can cause mitral valve dysfunction (ergot agonists cause severe mitral regurgitation, and are no longer recommended-eg, Parlodel was withdrawn I believe). Neurologists are concerned that the non-ergots like Requip could be a problem, but they are all they have left for Parkinsons patients. I'm not going to take any chances as there are other alternatives for anergic depression--Wellbutrin, modafinil, adrafanil, amphetamines and Ritalin, perhaps others.Here's a quote from the last paragraph of the article:
In conclusion, we found a significant increase in the risk of heart-valve regurgitation in patients taking ergot-derived dopamine-receptor agonists for Parkinson's disease. The finding of a significantly increased mean mitral tenting area, not only in patients receiving ergot-derived dopamine agonists but also in patients treated with non–ergot-derived dopamine agonists, suggests that follow-up echocardiographic monitoring is advisable in all patients with Parkinson's disease who are treated with dopamine agonists.
(From: Renzo Zanettini, M.D., Valvular Heart Disease and the Use of Dopamine Agonists for Parkinson's Disease NEJM Volume 356:39-46 (2007))
poster:kingcolon
thread:797625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071125/msgs/798384.html