Valvular heart disease in Parkinson's disease patients treated with dopamine agonists: A reader-blinded monocenter echocardiography study

Objektive: We evaluated the effects of four ergot or non-ergot dopamine agonists (DAs) on morphology and function of heart valves in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) to determine the frequency and clinical relevance of valvular heart disease (VHD) associated with both classes of DAs. Aims: Fibrotic VHD has been reported in association with ergot DAs, but the current database is insufficient, particularly regarding clinical relevance and comparison to data on non-ergot DAs. Methods: 85 PD patients treated with ergot DAs (pergolide, n=25; cabergoline, n=24) or with non-ergot DAs (ropinirole, n=13; pramipexol…