Dopamine agonists and valvular heart disease on Japanese patients with Parkinson's disease

A high incidence of valvular heart disease in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with ergot-derived dopamine agonists, such as cabergoline and pergolide, has been reported. However, the frequency of valvulopathy, including "restrictive" valvulopathy, in Japanese PD patients remains unclear. We have evaluated the frequency of valvulopathy in PD patients treated with ergot-derived dopamine agonists. Patients treated with either pergolide or cabergoline were prone to higher grades of valvular regurgitation than control patients. Left-sided heart valves (aortic and mitral valves) were more affected than the tricuspid valve. However, "restrictive" valvulopathy was not observed in our patients. These results indicate that pergolide and cabergoline are risk factors for valvular regurgitation even in Japanese patients with PD.