Nimodipine is a compound that is thought to block the influx of calcium through channels in vascular smooth muscle. This paper describes a double-blind parallel-group comparison of 40 mg nimodipine three times a day and placebo. Sixty-eight patients received treatment after a run-in period of 2 months, and of these, 57 completed 8 weeks or more of the trial. All but five of these completed the full 6-month trial. The nimodipine and placebo groups showed no significant differences in the frequency of attacks. severity or duration of headache, or gastrointestinal or other symptoms.
KazadaSTowartR.Differences in the effects of the calcium antagonists nimodipine (BAY e9736) and bencyclan on cerebral and Peripheral vascular smooth muscle.Br J Pharmacol1981,72,582.
2.
HardeboJEet al.Cerebrovascular effect of the calcium antagonists nimodipine-implications in the treatment of classical migraine.3rd International Symposium,The Migraine Trust,1980.
3.
Havanka-KanniainenHet al.Nimodipine in the Prophylaxis of migraine, a double blind study.Acta Neurol Scand1982;65(suppl 90):77–8.
4.
Nimodipine: Pharmacological and clinical Properties. In:BetzEDeckKHoffemeisterF eds.Proceedings of the 1 st international nimotop symposium, Munich, FRG, 9--11 February 1984.Stuttgart: Schattauer1985,501.
5.
Background to migraine. In:CochraneAL edProceedings of the third migraine symposium, April 1969.London: Heinemann1970,180–1.
