Ergot vs non-ergot Parkinson drugs

[Phloston]

UWorld says that there are two classes of Parkinson drugs: ergot and non-ergot.

Ergot: bromocriptine, pergolide

Non-ergot: pramipexole, ropinerole

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FA (p. 478) says that the non-ergot are preferred to ergot.

What does that mean and why? When are either of these drug classes circumstantially used?

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[thecalccobra]

Non-ergots don't cause vasoconstriction and are used when the patient has increased risk of MI or peripheral vascular disease.

 

[use your eyes]

Ergots like bromocriptine also carry the lovely side effects of hallucination and confusion as a result of their fungal origin. aka it's a Parkinson drug combined with magic mushrooms.

 

[faisal 2000]

because Painless digital vasospasm is a dose-related complication of long-term treatment with the ergot derivatives (bromocriptine or pergolide). When cardiac arrhythmias occur. Cardiac valvulopathy may occur with pergolide.