Clinical Trial of a Calcium Channel Blocker in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
10.3349/ymj.1987.28.2.126
- Author:
Kyu Sung LEE
1
;
Kyu Chang LEE
;
Joong Uhn CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Clinical Trial ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Cerebral aneurysm;
subarachnoid hemorrhage;
vasospasm;
calcium channel blocker;
nimodipine
- MeSH:
Clinical Trials;
Human;
Ischemic Attack, Transient/prevention & control*;
Nimodipine/therapeutic use*;
Prospective Studies;
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/drug therapy*
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
1987;28(2):126-130
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Forty-three patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage entered a nimodipine trial in the Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei university to determine the efficacy of the drug in preventing vasospasm and to evaluate the tolerability of this calcium channel blocker. Thirty-three patients completed the study. Treatment was started within four days of initial bleeding and continued for two weeks. Delayed neurological deficits developed in seven of the 33 patients-four from vasospasm, two from elevated intracranial pressure, and one from recurrent bleeding. The incidence of symptomatic vasospasm which developed after calcium channel blocker (nimodipine) treatment was 12.1%, which is about one third of the rate experienced at our department during the past five years (33.2%). Twenty-five patients were operated on without surgical mortality and the morbidity rate was 8%. Side effects due to nimodipine treatment were reversible and insignificant. This study suggests that treatment with a calcium channel blocker that has a selective cerebrovascular effect may prevent or reduce the incidence of delayed ischemic deficits in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
