Nimodipine in the Treatment of Headache in Chronic Cerebral Ischemia

• Published in: Cephalalgia 1986-09, Vol.6 (3), p.131-134
• Main Authors: Hadjiev, Dimiter, Velcheva, Irena, Ivanova, Lilia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brain Ischemia - complications; Chronic cerebral ischemia; Chronic Disease; Clinical Trials as Topic; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; nimodipine; Nimodipine - therapeutic use; non‐migrainous vascular headache; Random Allocation; Vascular Headaches - drug therapy; Vascular Headaches - etiology
• ISSN: 0333-1024; 1468-2982
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1986.0603131.x

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of nimodipine on non-migrainous vascular headache in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia. Eighty-six patients were examined in a double-blind trial for 16 weeks (12 weeks of nimodipine or placebo, followed by a 4-week placebo period). Fifty-six patients were studied in an open trial for 12 months. In the total material of the double-blind study there was no difference as far as improvement of headache was concerned when comparing the patients treated with nimodipine with those receiving placebo. However, in a group of 38 patients with a higher degree of headache intensity, selected in accordance with the Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric scale, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of nimodipine. The results obtained in the long-term open trial seem to confirm the effect of nimodipine on headache. The underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effect of the drug have been discussed.