Patients are asking if their meds for Parkinson's or restless legs will cause heart trouble

February 2007

Patients are asking if their meds for Parkinson's or restless legs will cause heart trouble.

This stems from news reports about dopamine agonists causing leaky heart valves.

But it turns out that the problem is with two older drugs that are rarely used...pergolide (Permax) and cabergoline (Dostinex).

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Table of Contents

You'll see manufacturers market more metabolites and isomers of existing drugs to replace drugs with expiring patents
Osteoporosis whether proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, etc) increase the risk for fractures
Osteoporosis Women are hearing that they can take a break from their oral bisphosphonate (Fosamax, etc)
Interactions misconceptions about grapefruit juice interactions
Men's Health anticholinergics (Detrol, Ditropan, etc) for urinary symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia
Cardiology Patients are asking if their meds for Parkinson's or restless legs will cause heart trouble
Cardiology BOTH Plavix and aspirin for at least 12 months after getting a drug-eluting coronary stent
Substance Use Disorder dextromethorphan abuse in teens
Vaccines More patients will be getting human papillomavirus, pertussis, and herpes zoster vaccines
Dermatology New evidence is helping to clear up what works for rosacea
Hormone Therapy controversy about bioidentical hormones
Infectious Diseases Ketek will eventually be severely curtailed or go off the market
Practice the significant new drugs approved in 2006