Prescription medication · Dopamine Agonist (Prolactin)
cabergoline
Also sold as Dostinex. Cabergoline treats hyperprolactinemia.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 4,670
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $1.32
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
cabergoline (Dostinex) is a prescription Dopamine Agonist (Prolactin), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (4,670 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
cabergoline (Dostinex) is a prescription Dopamine Agonist (Prolactin). Cabergoline treats hyperprolactinemia.
Cabergoline is a medicine that helps lower the amount of prolactin in your body. Prolactin is a hormone.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$1.32/unit
Generic Available
Yes (5 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Cabergoline treats hyperprolactinemia.
Common side effects
Nausea, Headache, Dizziness
Key warnings
You should not take cabergoline if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from cabergoline's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Cabergoline works by acting like dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a chemical that helps control prolactin release. By mimicking dopamine, cabergoline lowers prolactin levels.
How to Take It
Start by taking 0.25 mg of cabergoline twice a week. Your doctor may increase the dose by 0.25 mg twice a week. The highest dose is 1 mg twice a week. Your doctor will check your prolactin levels to decide the right dose for you.
This is a plain-language summary of cabergoline's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if cabergoline will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking cabergoline while breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of cabergoline's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of cabergoline's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store cabergoline at room temperature (68° to 77°F) in its original container.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 4,670 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for cabergoline, by number of reports
- Headache
Headache
319 reports
- Tiredness
Tiredness
275 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
274 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
224 reports
- Feeling unwell
Feeling unwell
209 reports
- Pain
Pain
195 reports
- Loose stools
Loose stools
175 reports
- Condition is getting worse
Condition is getting worse
170 reports
- Feeling worried or nervous
Feeling worried or nervous
158 reports
- Skin rash
Skin rash
155 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for cabergoline each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where cabergoline sits
cabergoline has more FDA adverse-event reports than 24% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is cabergoline; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 4,670 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
4,670
Reports Mentioning Death
245
5.2% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,549
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | HEADACHE | 319 |
| 4 | FATIGUE | 275 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 274 |
| 6 | DIZZINESS | 224 |
| 7 | MALAISE | 209 |
| 8 | PAIN | 195 |
| 9 | DIARRHOEA | 175 |
| 10 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 170 |
| 11 | ANXIETY | 158 |
| 12 | RASH | 155 |
| 13 | VOMITING | 154 |
| 15 | FALL | 150 |
| 16 | ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT | 148 |
| 17 | DRUG INTERACTION | 142 |
| 18 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 138 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
You should not take cabergoline if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure. Also, don't take it if you're allergic to ergot medicines. Before starting, your doctor should check your heart. Cabergoline is also not recommended if you have a history of heart valve disorders or fibrotic disorders.
Known Drug Interactions
Drug Interactions: Cabergoline should not be administered concurrently with D 2 -antagonists, such as phenothiazines, butyrophenones, thioxanthenes, or metoclopramide.
Mechanism: These drugs have opposite effects on the brain's dopamine system, so taking them together can stop them from working.
What to do: You should not take these two medications together as they can interfere with each other's effectiveness.
Alitretinoin (oral) Cabergoline Cannabinoids Cinacalcet Galantamine Ivacaftor Monitor for adverse reactions.
Mechanism: Itraconazole slows down how fast your body breaks down cabergoline. This can cause the level of cabergoline in your blood to rise.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor you closely for any new or worsening side effects.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking cabergoline on my own?
How long will I need to take cabergoline?
Will cabergoline cure my condition?
Can I drink alcohol while taking cabergoline?
What should I do if I feel dizzy after taking cabergoline?
Does cabergoline interact with other medications?
Can cabergoline cause weight gain?
How often will I need blood tests?
What if I want to get pregnant?
Can I take cabergoline with food?
What are the common side effects of cabergoline?
Does cabergoline interact with other medications?
What drug class is cabergoline?
Is cabergoline safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for cabergoline
The FDA label for cabergoline (sold under brand names such as Dostinex) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Dopamine Agonist (Prolactin) class. Cabergoline treats hyperprolactinemia. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Headache, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 4,670 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $1.32.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: December 8, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages