OpenClaim

Bromocriptine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of bromocriptine include off label use, headache, and nausea, based on 2,865 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 8.3% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Bromocriptine side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for bromocriptine.

1
Drug Ineffective8.3%238
2
Off Label Use4.6%132
3
Headache3.8%108
4
Nausea3.7%105
5
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome3.4%98
6
Fatigue2.8%79
7
Vomiting2.7%76
8
Nausea2.5%71
9
Vomiting2.5%71
10
Malaise2.5%71
11
Drug Intolerance2.4%69
12
Maternal Exposure During Pregnancy2.4%69
13
Dizziness2.4%68
14
Headache2.3%67
15
Dizziness2.3%67

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that bromocriptine caused these reactions.

Report severity

87.1%Serious2,495 reports
38.6%Hospitalizations1,106 reports
7.7%Fatal220 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Bromocriptine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside bromocriptine. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Cabergoline6.6%189
2
Levodopa4.5%130
3
Carbidopa4.0%114
4
Amantadine2.8%79
5
Lorazepam2.7%76
6
Octreotide-acetate2.5%72
7
Risperidone2.5%72
8
Olanzapine2.3%65
9
Quetiapine-fumarate2.0%56
10
Entacapone1.9%54
11
Somatropin1.9%54
12
Ropinirole-hydrochloride1.8%52
13
Adalimumab1.6%47
14
Dantrolene-sodium1.6%46
15
Omeprazole1.6%45

Taken alongside

1
Levothyroxine-sodium12.1%347
2
Acetaminophen6.7%193
3
Metformin6.2%179
4
Aspirin5.4%155
5
Ergocalciferol5.0%143
6
Omeprazole4.5%130
7
Levodopa4.1%118
8
Furosemide4.1%117
9
Gabapentin3.9%111
10
Insulin3.7%107
11
Lorazepam3.5%100
12
Hydrocortisone3.4%98
13
Metoprolol3.4%97
14
Atorvastatin-calcium3.3%94
15
Prednisone3.2%92

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports bromocriptine side effects

54.8% of bromocriptine adverse event reports involve female patients and 35.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 70%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female54.8%
Male35.2%
Unknown10.0%

Age group

< 23.4%
2–111.4%
12–171.7%
18–6469.9%
65+23.6%

What is bromocriptine used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking bromocriptine when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAcromegalyActh-producing Pituitary TumourAdenoma BenignAdverse Drug ReactionAdverse EventAgitationAkinesiaAltered State Of ConsciousnessAmenorrhoeaAntidepressant TherapyAphasiaAtrophyAttention Deficit/hyperactivity DisorderAutonomic Nervous System Imbalance

Showing 15 of 261 indications

Bromocriptine brand names and reporting trend

Bromocriptine is sold under the brand name Cycloset.

Brand names

Cycloset40

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking bromocriptine with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.