warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Cardiac Valvulopathy and Pericardial Fibrosis : Before initiating cabergoline tablets, perform a cardiovascular evaluation, including echocardiogram, to evaluate for valvular disease. During cabergoline tablets treatment, monitor for the development of valvulopathy with a cardiac echocardiogram at intervals of 6 to 12 months or as clinically indicated and monitor for chest pain and signs and symptoms of heart failure (if heart failure occurs, exclude valvular fibrosis and pericarditis). Consider additional clinical and diagnostic monitoring at baseline and as necessary during cabergoline tablets treatment. Use cabergoline tablets in patients treated with other drugs associated with valvulopathy only if the potential benefit of cabergoline tablets outweighs the risk. Discontinue cabergoline tablets if the patient has a new diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular restriction, valve leaflet thickening, or pericarditis. ( 5.1 ) Pleural, Pulmonary and Retroperitoneal Fibrosis : During cabergoline tablets treatment monitor for signs and symptoms of progressive fibrosis, (e.g., pleuro-pulmonary disease, renal impairment, ureteral/abdominal vascular obstruction). Consider clinical and diagnostic monitoring for pleural, pulmonary, and retroperitoneal fibrosis at baseline and as necessary during cabergoline tablets treatment. If pleural, pericardial, retroperitoneal, or pulmonary fibrosis occur, discontinue cabergoline tablets. ( 5.2 ) Orthostatic Hypotension : Check blood pressure at baseline and during treatment with cabergoline tablets and monitor for orthostatic hypotension. ( 5.3 ) Risks with Use of Cabergoline Tablets for Postpartum Lactation Inhibition or Suppression : Avoid use of cabergoline tablets for the inhibition or suppression of physiologic lactation. Use of bromocriptine, another dopamine agonist for this unapproved use has been associated with cases of hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction, seizures, and death. ( 5.4 ) Impulse Control Disorders and Compulsive Behaviors : Specifically ask patients about the development of new or increased gambling urges, sexual urges, uncontrolled spending, or other urges while being treated with cabergoline tablets. Consider dosage reduction or stopping cabergoline tablets if a patient develops such urges while taking cabergoline tablets. ( 5.5 ) 5.1 Cardiac Valvulopathy and Pericardial Fibrosis Before initiating cabergoline tablets, perform a cardiovascular evaluation, including with an echocardiogram, to evaluate for valvular disease. Cabergoline tablets are contraindicated in the presence of valvular disease or pericardial fibrosis [see Contraindications (4) ]. Cases of valvular and pericardial fibrosis have often manifested as heart failure. Following cabergoline tablets treatment initiation, monitor for the development of valvulopathy with a cardiac echocardiogram at intervals of 6 to 12 months or as clinically indicated with new onset edema, cardiac murmur, dyspnea, or heart failure. During cabergoline tablets treatment, monitor for chest pain and signs and symptoms of heart failure and if heart failure occurs, valvular fibrosis and pericarditis should be excluded. Consider clinical and diagnostic monitoring such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum creatinine measurements, chest-x- ray, and other investigations and cardiac imaging at baseline and as necessary while patients are treated with during cabergoline tablets treatment. Use cabergoline tablets in patients treated with other drugs associated with valvulopathy only if the potential benefit of cabergoline tablets outweighs the risk. Discontinue cabergoline tablets if the patient has a new diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular restriction, valve leaflet thickening, or pericarditis. Postmarketing cases of cardiac valvulopathy have been reported in patients who received cabergoline tablets. These cases have generally occurred during administration of high doses of cabergoline tablets (>2 mg/day) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) (cabergoline tablets are not approved for the treatment of PD). Cases of cardiac valvulopathy have also been reported in patients who received lower dosages of cabergoline tablets for the treatment of hyperprolactinemic disorders. In a 12-year, multi-country retrospective cohort study, the use of cabergoline tablets for PD was associated with an increased risk of cardiac valvular regurgitation (CVR). Compared to non-ergot-derived dopamine agonists and levodopa, CVR with cabergoline tablets use had an incidence rate per 10,000 person years of 68 (95% CI: 37, 115) versus 10 (95% CI: 5, 19) for non-ergot dopamine agonists and 11 (95% CI: 7, 17) for levodopa. 5.2 Pleural, Pulmonary and Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Cabergoline tablets are contraindicated in patients with a history of pleural, pulmonary, or retroperitoneal fibrosis. During cabergoline tablets treatment monitor for signs and symptoms of progressive fibrosis, including: Pleuro-pulmonary disease (e.g., dyspnea, shortness of breath, persistent cough, chest pain). Renal impairment or ureteral/abdominal vascular obstruction (e.g., pain in the loin/flank, lower limb edema, abdominal masses or tenderness that may indicate retroperitoneal fibrosis). Consider clinical and diagnostic monitoring for pleural, pulmonary, and retroperitoneal fibrosis such as with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum creatinine measurements, chest-x-ray, and other investigations at baseline and as necessary during cabergoline tablets treatment. If pleural, pericardial, retroperitoneal, or pulmonary fibrosis occur, discontinue cabergoline tablets. Postmarketing cases of pleural, pulmonary, and retroperitoneal fibrosis have been reported following cabergoline tablets administration. Some reports were in patients previously treated with other ergotinic dopamine agonists. Cabergoline tablets-treated patients who developed a pleural effusion or pulmonary fibrosis and subsequently discontinued cabergoline tablets had improvement of their pulmonary symptoms. 5.3 Orthostatic Hypotension Check blood pressure at baseline and during treatment with cabergoline tablets and monitor for orthostatic hypotension. Warn patients about the risk of orthostatic hypotension and precautions to take when rising from a supine or sitting position. Instruct patients to report dizziness or lightheadedness with changes in position to their healthcare provider. Cabergoline tablets can cause orthostatic hypotension [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ]. In a 4-week, placebo-controlled trial in patients with hyperprolactinemic disorders, the percentage of cabergoline tablets-treated patients and placebo-treated patients who developed orthostatic hypotension was 4% and 0%, respectively [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . The risk of orthostatic hypotension is greater in cabergoline tablets-treated patients when taking concomitant drugs that lower blood pressure. 5.4 Risks with Use of Cabergoline Tablets for Postpartum Lactation Inhibition or Suppression Avoid use of cabergoline tablets for the inhibition or suppression of postpartum physiologic lactation because of the risk of serious adverse reactions. Use of bromocriptine, another dopamine agonist for this unapproved use has been associated with cases of hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction seizures, and death. 5.5 Impulse Control Disorders and Compulsive Behaviors Because patients may not recognize impulse control and compulsive behaviors as abnormal, it is important for health care providers to specifically ask patients about the development of new or increased gambling urges, sexual urges, uncontrolled spending, or other urges while being treated with cabergoline tablets. Consider dosage reduction or stopping cabergoline tablets if a patient develops such urges while taking cabergoline tablets. Patients can experience intense urges to gamble or to spend money, increased sexual urges, binge eating, and/or other intense urges, and the inability to control these urges while taking one or more drugs that increase central dopaminergic tone, including cabergoline tablets. In some cases, these urges were reported to have stopped when the dosage was reduced, or the drug was stopped.