Abstract

Pergolide (Celance – Lilly) is structurally related to bromocriptine and lysuride. Like them it is a dopamine agonist intended for use with levodopa in Parkinson’s disease,¹ but unlike other agonists pergolide stimulates D₁ as well as D₂ receptors. The manufacturer suggests that this ‘dual action’ allows ‘full expression of the effects of dopaminergic therapy’ and ‘may contribute to the therapeutic efficacy’, but the clinical relevance of differential dopamine receptor stimulation is not known.