Hyperprolactinaemia and antipsychotics

Care map 4: Atypical antipsychotics. Hyperprolactinaemia.

Aim The aim of this article, the fifth in the care maps series, is to describe a care map that enables healthcare professionals, especially community mental health nurses, and patients to manage hyperprolactinaemia (prolactin elevation), a side effect of atypical antipsychotic drugs. Atypical antipsychotics that have a high, low or very low risk of hyperprolactinaemia are identified (Box 1). Th...

Hyperprolactinaemia.

Hyperprolactinaemia is a frequent cause of reproductive problems encountered in clinical practice. A variety of pathophysiological conditions can lead to hyperprolactinaemia; therefore, pregnancy, drug effects, hypothyroidism and polycystic ovary syndrome should be excluded before investigating for prolactin-secreting pituitary tumours. Prolactinomas are mainly diagnosed in women aged 20-40 yea...

Macroprolactin and hyperprolactinaemia.

The recent report on “macroprolactin and hyperprolactinaemia” is very interesting. Jamaluddin et al. noted that 4.4 % of the patients have macroprolactin and concluded that “macroprolactin is a significant cause of misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigation, and inappropriate treatment.” Similar to many other “macro” phenomenon (macroCK, macroamylase, etc.), the macroprolactin can result in aberra...

Hyperprolactinaemia and Prolactinoma

Pregnancy. Puerperium. Breast stimulation. Stress physical (including excessive exercise) or psychological including venepuncture. Macroprolactinaemia: This refers to prolactin of high molecular mass, mostly complexes of monomeric prolactin with immunoglobulins (prolactin autoantibody complexes). These larger molecules have low bioactivity and a prolonged clearance rate similar to that of immun...

Hyperprolactinaemia in primary Sjögren's syndrome.