Bromocriptine and suppression of postpartum lactation. The incidence of adverse cardiovascular effects in women of child-bearing age.

The use of bromocriptine for the suppression of postpartum lactation drew widespread attention to a potentially increased risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse effects. To estimate the incidence of these events a follow-up study was performed among 2,130 women of 15-44 years of age who were treated with a course of bromocriptine in 1990-1992. None of these women were admitted to the hospital for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events. However, the incidence of pregnancy hypertension and the use of cardiovascular drugs increased considerably in the last 2 months before delivery. Therefore, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events can probably be explained by pre-existing morbidity rather than by the use of bromocriptine. We estimated, using a 'worst-case' analysis, that fewer than 2 Dutch women each year would develop serious cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events.