bromocriptine Side Effects
Also known as: Cycloset
Analysis of 637 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2003 to 2025.
Total Reports
637
Death-Related
30
4.7% of reports
Hospitalizations
231
36.3% of reports
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 30 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 7 |
| PNEUMONIA | 4 |
| VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION | 4 |
| AGITATION | 3 |
| ARRHYTHMIA | 3 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 3 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 3 |
| DRUG EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY | 3 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 3 |
| LETHARGY | 3 |
| PSYCHOTIC DISORDER | 3 |
| RESPIRATORY ARREST | 3 |
| ANOXIC ENCEPHALOPATHY | 2 |
| BLOOD CREATINE PHOSPHOKINASE INCREASED | 2 |
| CARDIAC FAILURE | 2 |
| DYSPNOEA | 2 |
| LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS | 2 |
| MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 2 |
| PARALYSIS | 2 |
| PREMATURE LABOUR | 2 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 231 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME | 22 |
| PYREXIA | 17 |
| DYSPNOEA | 14 |
| VOMITING | 14 |
| MUSCLE RIGIDITY | 13 |
| TREMOR | 13 |
| BLOOD CREATINE PHOSPHOKINASE INCREASED | 12 |
| DIARRHOEA | 12 |
| DRUG INTOLERANCE | 12 |
| NAUSEA | 12 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 11 |
| HALLUCINATION, VISUAL | 11 |
| HEADACHE | 11 |
| AGITATION | 10 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 10 |
| CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT | 9 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 9 |
| DIZZINESS | 9 |
| DRUG EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY | 9 |
| HALLUCINATION | 9 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About bromocriptine Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 637 voluntary reports linked to bromocriptine and its brand equivalents (Cycloset), spanning 2003 through 2025. Of those, 30 (4.7%) listed death as an outcome and 231 (36.3%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.
Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 55% were female and 45% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 165 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is nausea with 46 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and headache.
FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.