GROWTH-HORMONE AND PROLACTIN EXCESS

The treatment of acromegaly and hyperprolactinaemia has been improved by the availability of effective and well-tolerated slow-release somat ostatin analogues and dopamine agonists with long-lasting activity, su ch as cabergoline. The use of these drugs has extended the possibility of treatment to patients who would have responded poorly to the previ ously available compounds, such as octreotide or bromocriptine, and to those who were intolerant to pharmacotherapy. Moreover, the improveme nt in the management of acromegaly has enabled the reversal, at least partly, of cardiomyopathy and sleep apnoea, two important risk factors for morbidity and mortality in these patients.