title: Disorders of prolactin secretion.
abstract: Prolactinomas are a common cause of reproductive/sexual dysfunction. Once other causes of hyperprolactinemia have been excluded with a careful history and physical examination, routine chemistries, and an assay for TSH, MR imaging, or CT will delineate the size and extent of the tumor. Medical therapy is the initial treatment of choice. When infertility is the primary indication for treatment, bromocriptine use has an extensive safety record and is preferred. For other indications, cabergoline seems to be more efficacious and better tolerated. Transsphenoidal surgery remains an option, especially for patients with microadenomas, when medical therapy is ineffective.
authors.affiliation: Center for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA. molitch@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Molitch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015175:Prolactinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D011388:Prolactin