Cabaser tablets contain the active ingredient cabergoline, which is a type of drug called a dopamine agonist. Cabergoline works by mimicking the activity of a substance in the brain called dopamine.
Dopamine is a substance known as a neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are present in the brain and nervous system and are involved in transmitting messages between nerves. These messages allow the normal functioning of the body. The neurotransmitter dopamine is known to be reduced or absent in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, and this is thought to be the cause of the disease symptoms.
Dopamine normally transmits messages by stimulating specific receptor sites in the brain. Cabergoline works by stimulating these same receptor sites. This produces the same effects as dopamine, and acts as a dopamine substitute. In this way cabergoline helps to restore the dopamine activity in the brain, which helps reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Cabergoline can be used by itself or in conjunction with levodopa to treat Parkinson's disease, and is particularly useful in people for whom levodopa alone is no longer providing adequate control of symptoms.
Cabergoline can cause a drop in blood pressure when you first start treatment, and this may cause dizziness or fainting. To minimise these side effects the dose of cabergoline is increased slowly, usually over three to four weeks. Follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacist.
(NB. Cabergoline is also used in lower doses to treat disorders that result from high levels of the hormone prolactin in the blood. The Cabaser brand of cabergoline is not licensed for these uses. See the Dostinex factsheet linked at the end of this article for more information about these other uses of cabergoline.)
Why is this drug prescribed?
- Parkinson's disease.
- suddenly falling asleep;
- sleepiness;
- low blood pressure (hypotension);
- inflammation of the stomach;
- increased sex drive (libido) and excessive interest or involvement in sexual activity (hypersexuality);
- inability to resist impulses to gambling (pathological gambling);
- fluid retention causing swollen ankles (peripheral oedema);
- fibrosis or inflammation affecting the lower back heart or lungs;
- false perceptions of things that are not really there (hallucinations);
- dizziness;
- disturbances of the gut such as indigestion diarrhoea constipation nausea vomiting or abdominal pain;
- difficulty performing voluntary movements resulting in jerky or involuntary movements or muscle twitches (dyskinesia);
- confusion;
- chest pain (angina);
- abnormally increased muscular activity or hyperactivity;
