Dopamine agonist
| Dopamine agonist | |
|---|---|
| Drug class | |
The skeletal structure of dopamine | |
| Class identifiers | |
| Use | Parkinson's disease, hyperprolactinemia, restless legs syndrome |
| ATC code | N04BC |
| Biological target | Dopamine receptors |
| External links | |
| MeSH | D010300 |
| Legal status | |
| In Wikidata | |
A dopamine agonist is a compound that activates dopamine D2 receptors and belong to one of two different subclasses: ergoline and non-ergoline. Examples of ergoline agonists are cabergoline and bromocriptine and examples of non-ergoline agonists are pramipexole, ropinirole and rotigotine. Ergoline agonists have been linked to cartilage formation in heart valves.
Dopamine agonists are primarily used in the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and to a lesser extent, in hyperprolactinemia and restless legs syndrome. They are also used off-label in the treatment of clinical depression. One notable risk in the use of dopamine agonist is an increased risk of developing impulse control disorders.