The medicine "Bergolak" is an inhibitor of prolactin production, which is also an agonist of dopamine receptors. The dosage form of this medication is tablets: white, biconvex oblong, with a risk. They are packaged in 8 or 2 pcs. in polymer bottles - 1 pc. in cardboard packaging.
What is the composition of Bergolak? 1 tablet contains the active element - cabergoline, as well as some auxiliary substances: anhydrous lactose (lactopress), leucine, magnesium stearate.
Pharmacological properties
Cabergoline is an ergoline derivative, a dopamine receptor agonist that inhibits prolactin secretion. This substance provides stimulation of dopamine D2 receptors located in the pituitary lactotropic cells.
According to the instructions for use, Bergolac in high doses has a central type of dopaminergic effect, reduces the prolactin content in the blood, restores fertility and the menstrual cycle. In women, due to a decrease in prolactin level, the pulsed production of gonadotropins is restored, and in the middle of the menstrual cycle luteinizing hormone is produced, by which anovulatory cycles disappear, the content of estrogen in the blood increases, the severity of hyperandrogenic (acne, hirsutism) and hypoestrogenic (osteoporosis, fluid retention, and fluid retention) decrease weight) symptoms.
In men, cabergoline reduces factors caused by hyperprolactinemia: impotence (as a result of a decrease in the amount of prolactin, the concentration of testosterone increases), decreased libido, gynecomastia, and lactorrhea. The reverse development of pituitary adenomas and the symptoms associated with them (headache, disturbances in the fields and visual acuity) is noted.
Taking this medication helps to reduce the concentration of prolactin in people suffering from pseudoprolactinoma or prolactinoma. The concentration of prolactin decreases already after 3 hours after administration, remaining for 14-21 days. The drug provides a stable decrease in prolactin levels at 2–4 weeks of treatment.
Indications for use
Bergolac is prescribed for the following pathologies:
- suppression or prevention of postpartum lactation;
- therapy of conditions caused by hyperprolactinemia, including amenorrhea, anovulation, galactorrhea, oligomenorrhea;
- "empty Turkish saddle" syndrome, which is combined with hyperprolactinemia;
- pituitary adenomas of the prolactin-secreting type (micro- and macro-prolactinomas), idiopathic type hyperprolactinemia.
List of contraindications
The medicine is contraindicated in such cases:
- age up to 16 years;
- galactose intolerance;
- glucose galactose malabsorption;
- lactase deficiency;
- high sensitivity to ergot alkaloids;
- intolerance to cabergoline and other substances in the composition of the drug.
This must be considered before the appointment.
Careful reception
According to the instructions for use, Bergolak is prescribed with caution in diseases of the cardiovascular system, arterial hypertension during pregnancy (including preeclampsia), while taking antihypertensive drugs (risk of orthostatic hypotension), with severe liver failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcers, pronounced forms of cognitive and psychotic disorders, in the presence of fibrotic changes in the organs of the respiratory system and heart (pleurisy, valvulopathy I or pleural fibrosis).
When to start conception?
After taking the medication, conception can begin in one month. If the patient became pregnant during therapy, consideration should be given to the advisability of discontinuing the medicine, taking into account the benefits and risks.
The drug is not prescribed for women who want to breastfeed, so if cabergoline therapy is necessary, feeding should be stopped.
Instruction manual
The tablets are intended for oral administration. Recommended Dosage:
- In order to prevent postpartum lactation: in the first day after birth - 1 mg once.
- Suppression of breastfeeding: 0.25 mg 2 times a day with an interval of 12 hours. Duration of admission is 2 days. Due to the likelihood of developing orthostatic pressure reduction, a single dose should not be more than 0.25 mg.
- Therapy of conditions caused by hyperprolactinemia: the initial dosage is 0.5 mg per week, once or divided into 2 doses with an interval of 3 days.
Side effects of Bergolac
A medication can provoke the development of such side effects:
- CNS: excessive drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, fainting, asthenia, paresthesia, depression.
- Heart, blood vessels: flushing, valvulopathy, palpitations, vasospasms, orthostatic hypotension, decreased blood pressure.
- Digestion: abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia, gastritis, functional impairment of the liver.
- Allergic reactions: hypersensitivity.
- Other: muscle cramps, nosebleeds, mastodynia, alopecia, transient hemianopsia, swelling, respiratory disorders, pleural fibrosis.
Cost
The price of Bergolak is approximately 860 rubles. It depends on the region and the pharmacy network.
Analogues of this medication
The main analogues of Bergolak are:
- Agalates.
- "Cabergoline."
- Dostinex.
It is important to understand that only a doctor should select a replacement.
Agalates
This is an Israeli medicine, a dopamine receptor agonist based on cabergoline, a synthetic ergot alkaloid. The drug inhibits the production of prolactin. The principle of action of the main element includes the stimulation of dopamine receptors in the hypothalamus. At higher doses than are required to suppress prolactin production, the drug causes a central-type dopaminergic effect due to the stimulation of dopamine D2 receptors.
The effect of the drug is dose-dependent. A decrease in prolactin content is usually observed after 3 hours and lasts 2-3 weeks, and therefore, in order to suppress lactation, a single dose of this medication is usually sufficient. In the treatment of hyperprolactinemia, prolactin levels in the blood stabilize after 2-4 weeks. A normal concentration of prolactin may persist in the body for several months.
It can be difficult to decide what to prefer - “Agalates” or “Bergolak”. The main element of the first has highly selective properties and does not affect the basal production of cortisol and other pituitary hormones. The only pharmacodynamic phenomenon that is not due to a therapeutic effect is considered to be a decrease in blood pressure. The greatest hypotensive effect is usually observed 6 hours after administration. The degree of pressure reduction and the incidence of hypotensive effect depend on the dosage of the drug.
Indications for use and a list of contraindications for this medication are absolutely similar to those indicated in the instructions for use of the drug "Bergolak".
The cost of this analogue of the drug is about 1150 rubles.
Cabergoline
What else is included in the list of analogues of "Bergolak"? The medicine "Cabergoline" (a Russian drug) is made on the basis of the active substance of the same name. It is an ergoline derivative, a dopamine receptor agonist that inhibits prolactin secretion. This substance provides stimulation of dopamine D2 receptors located in the pituitary lactotropic cells. The “Bergolak” analogue “Cabergoline” in high doses has a central type of dopaminergic effect, reduces prolactin in the blood, restores the menstrual cycle and fertility.
In women, due to a decrease in prolactin levels, the pulsating production of gonadotropins is restored and luteinizing hormone is produced in the middle of the menstrual cycle, with the help of which the anovulatory cycles disappear, the level of estrogen in the blood increases, the severity of hyperandrogenic (acne, hirsutism) and hypoestrogenic (osteoporosis, weight loss, weight gain, decrease) ) symptoms.
In men, cabergoline reduces factors caused by hyperprolactinemia: impotence (as a result of a decrease in the amount of prolactin, the concentration of testosterone increases), decreased libido, gynecomastia, and lactorrhea. The reverse development of pituitary adenomas and the symptoms associated with them (headache, disturbances in the fields and visual acuity) is noted.
Reception of this analogue “Bergolak” helps to reduce the concentration of prolactin in people suffering from pseudoprolactinoma or prolactinoma. The concentration of prolactin decreases already after 3 hours after administration, remaining for 14-21 days. The drug provides a stable decrease in prolactin levels at 2–4 weeks of treatment.
Which is better - "Cabergoline" or "Bergolak", the doctor will tell. The price of the first varies between 680-770 rubles per package.
Dostinex
The medicine "Dostinex - the Italian analogue of" Bergolac ". An agonist of dopamine receptors based on cabergoline, a synthetic ergot alkaloid. The drug inhibits the processes of prolactin production. The principle of action of the main element includes the stimulation of dopamine receptors in the hypothalamus. At higher doses than are required to suppress prolactin production, the drug causes a central type dopaminergic effect due to the stimulation of dopamine D2 receptors.
The effect of the drug is dose-dependent. A decrease in prolactin content is usually observed after 3 hours and lasts 2-3 weeks, and therefore, in order to suppress lactation, a single dose of this medication is usually sufficient. In the treatment of hyperprolactinemia, prolactin levels in the blood stabilize after 2-4 weeks. A normal concentration of prolactin may persist in the body for several months.
Many are also interested in what is better “Bergolak” or “Dostinex”. These drugs are very similar in many ways.
The main element of the Dostinex analogue has highly selective properties and does not affect the basal secretion of cortisol and other pituitary hormones. The only pharmacodynamic phenomenon that is not due to a therapeutic effect is considered to be a decrease in blood pressure. The greatest hypotensive effect is observed, as a rule, 6 hours after administration. The degree of pressure reduction and the incidence of hypotensive effect depend on the dosage of the drug.
For this analogue of Bergolak, the price in the pharmacy chain is approximately 660 rubles.
Alaktin
This is a means of stopping lactation. It is a synthetic ergot alkaloid and has a prolonged and pronounced dose-dependent prolactin-lowering effect. Active ingredient: cabergoline (0.5 mg).
"Alactin" is used orally with food.
The standard dosage for suppressing postpartum lactation is 1 mg once during the first days after birth.
To suppress existing lactation, 0.25 mg is recommended every 12 hours for two days (total dose - 1 mg).
The standard dosage for the treatment of hyperprolactinemic conditions is 0.5 mg once a week or 0.25 mg twice a week. If necessary, the dose can be gradually increased (under the supervision of a doctor) - by 0.5 mg / week with a monthly interval until a therapeutic effect is obtained. The standard therapeutic dose is 1 mg per week and can range from 0.25 mg to 2 mg per week.
The maximum dose is 3 mg / day.
Reviews
Patients who left the bulk of reviews about the Bergolak medication and its analogues are women who were prescribed these drugs for hormonal diseases of the genital area and in order to stop lactation. The rest are people who have treated other diseases caused by hyperprolactinemia.
The reviews are mostly positive. Patients note that the medicines of this pharmacological category are very effective, they quickly achieve the desired therapeutic result. The only drawback of these drugs is a large number of side effects, among which extremely unpleasant conditions of patients are often observed - severe dyspepsia, severe dizziness, tremor, visual impairment, stool disorders, attacks of vegetative-vascular dystonia, low blood pressure, asthenic syndrome, decreased appetite, leg cramps and others.