Trigeminal Neuralgia after Bromocriptine Therapy in a Stroke Patient: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

Rare side effects of bromocriptine, such as, trigermial neuralgia, have been reported in patients with pituitary adenoma but no such case has been reported in post-stroke patients. This case reports on a stroke patient who developed trigeminal neuralgia after bromocriptine therapy. A 48-year-old man, diagnosed with left middle cerebral artery territory infarction and transcortical motor aphasia, was prescribed with 2.5 mg of bromocriptine. After two days, he complained of pain in the right trigeminal nerve distribution. Brain MRI, facial EMG, blink reflex, revealed no abnormalities. His pain showed no relief to various pharmacological agents. However, pain disappeared with discontinuation of bromocriptine and recurred again with readministration. In addition, pain intensity correlated with increase of bromocriptine dosage. Based on these findings, we concluded that patient' trigerminal neuralgia was related to bromocriptine administration. An antidote, which consisted of a dopamine antagonist was prescribed together with bromocriptine and the patient subsequently showed relief of pain and improvement of aphasia.