There are very little complications of a prolactin blood test when blood is taken from a vein. A small bruise may occur at the puncture site. To avoid having a bruise, you should keep pressure on the site during some minutes after the withdrawal of the needle.
In rare cases you may observe the inflammation of the vein after the blood sample is taken. The medical term for such procedure is phlebitis and its treatment is a warm compress that is to be put some times every day.
Patients, who have continued bleeding disorders, should be concerned. There are some medicines such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin) and other blood-thinning medications, that can cause bleeding. You should inform your doctor before blood test about bleeding or clotting problems and blood-thinning medications, taken by you.
The purpose of a blood prolactin test is to measure the level of prolactin, a hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland. Prolactin levels can be changed during a day. They are the highest when you sleep and just after a sleep.
See at the following tables for the quantity of prolactin available in blood.
| Prolactin | | Nonpregnant women: | less than 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) | | Men: | less than 15 ng/mL |
High quantity of prolactin is observed under following conditions:
1) High quantity of prolactin (it is as usual more than 200 ng/mL) may lead to a pituitary gland tumor (prolactinoma). People with a high prolactin level are more prone to a pituitary gland tumor. If a prolactin level is more than 200 ng/mL, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test is recommended to be held to confirm the availability of a pituitary tumor.
2) If a prolactin level is normal or low, a pituitary tumor can also be available. If it is available and there is concern of available a pituitary tumor, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test may be held.
3) High levels of prolactin are possible causes of the excessive production by the pituitary gland the hormone when its causes are not known (the medical term is idiopathic hyperprolactinemia). A pituitary gland tumor may also be available to be observed with X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). High prolactin levels can be caused by such health problems as pregnancy, liver disease (cirrhosis), kidney disease, and hypothyroidism. You may consult a doctor if there are any abnormal results, symptoms or complications.
The prolactin test and its results can be influenced by such factors as:
1) Repeated and prolong physical or emotional stress or strenuous exercise.
2) Sleep, high levels are observed 3 hours after a sleep.
3) Nipple stimulation.
4) Medications with estrogens in their content (they are available in birth control pills), high blood pressure medications, tricyclic antidepression medications, cimetidine (Tagamet), metoclopramide (Reglan), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), methyldopa (Aldomet), and levodopa (Larodopa).
5) Cocaine.
6) Unusual blood draw is a possible cause of elevated prolactin level. 7) When a procedure is done with a radioactive tracer during 1 week of the prolactin test.
Low levels of prolactin are observed within men and women who are not pregnant. A lack of prolactin is connected with unable milk production after pregnancy. Very low level of prolactin is not cured in such cases. Men, who are recommended for having a prolactin test, are a lack of sexual desire in men or his inability to have an erection (erectile dysfunction), especially if his testosterone levels are low and below the norm. A pituitary gland tumor that is producing prolactin should be treated with bromocryptine (Parlodel), removal by surgery, or radiation therapy. The size of the tumor, the health and age of the person are factors that influence the treatment.
| 
