ACUTE CORONARY-ARTERY THROMBOSIS IN A POSTPARTUM WOMAN RECEIVING BROMOCRIPTINE

A 35-year-old postpartum woman who was receiving bromocriptine (Parlod el) for only several days to suppress lactation experienced an episode of a seizure, complained of chest pains, and died in the emergency de partment. At autopsy, acute coronary thrombosis of the left main, left anterior descending, and circumflex arteries was found. Cases of repo rted cardiac-related complications associated with bromocriptine use i n the puerperium are extremely rare. The mechanism of bromocriptine-re lated acute coronary thrombosis is poorly understood and warrants furt her scrutiny, because the synthetic brominated ergopeptide is generall y regarded as safe. The updated review of reports available in literat ure mandates the acknowledgment of possible serious and even lethal ca rdiac events as a result of untoward effects of bromocriptine.