Hyperprolactinaemia and antihypertensive effect of bromocriptine in essential hypertension. Identification of abnormal central dopamine control.
Plasma-prolactin concentration was up to four times higher in male patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive controls. Oral administration of bromocriptine, a dopaminergic agonist, suppressed plasma-prolactin and lowered arterial pressure. It is proposed that in the hypertensive patients the raised prolactin levels reflect a defect in central dopamine control which is normalised by bromocriptine. The antihypertensive effect of bromocriptine suggests that the dopaminergic system is involved in blood-pressure regulation and that reduced central dopaminergic activity may be a factor in the maintenance of essential hypertension.
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004873:Ergolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004873:Ergolines; D001971:Bromocriptine; D011388:Prolactin; D012964:Sodium; D004298:Dopamine