Table 7:
Differential Diagnosis of Hyperprolactinemia
  • Physiologic
    • Pregnancy, postpartum, suckling, stress, hypoglycemia, intercourse, neonate
  • Pituitary disorders
    • Prolactinomas, Mixed pituitary tumors, lymphocytic hypophysitis, empty sella
    • Nonfunctioning pituitary tumors with stalk compression
  • Hypothalamic/Stalk disorders
    • Aneurysm
    • Inflammatory
      • Sarcoidosis, histocytosis, other granulomatous disorders
    • Neoplastic
      • Craniopharyngiomas, meningiomas, gliomas, dysgerminomas, metastasis
    • Trauma, radiotherapy
  • Drugs
    • Neuroleptics, methyldopa, reserpine, metoclopramide, opiates, cocaine, cimetidine, ranitidine, verapamil, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, estrogen, antiandrogens, some SSRIs including fluoxetine and fluvoxamine
  • Hypothyroidism, chronic renal failure, cirrhosis,
  • Neurogenic
    • Chest wall disorders
    • Spinal nerve or cord disorder, seizures
  • Ectopic: Hypernephroma, gonadoblastoma, ovarian teratomas
  • Idiopathic
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