Professional Issues >> Total Wellness

There are many consequences of sustained hyperprolactinemia. Women may experience amenorrhea or irregular menstrual cycles, anovulation, menorrhagia, infertility, galactorrhea, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, hirsutism, or obesity. In men, symptoms of hyperprolactinemia may include erectile impotence, hypospermategenesis, loss of libido, or, rarely, galactorrhea. The negative impact of sexual dysfunction on medication compliance is unknown. Patients are often hesitant to spontaneously report these side effects.

Aside from sexual effects, hyperprolactinemia may also pose a long-term risk for breast cancer or osteoporosis.9n

Potential Effects of Hyperprolactinemia

• Amenorrhea
• Irregular menses
• Gynecomastia
• Galactorrhea
• Sexual dysfunction
• Erectile/ejaculatory dysfunction
• Decreased Libido
• Anovulation
• Azoospermia
• Infertility
• Obesity
• Hirsutism
• Not established at this time:
• Increased breast cancer risk?
• Increased osteoporosis risk?
• Hyperglycemia
• Data from Hamner and Arana,26 Petty,9 and Wirshing et al.27