Calcium antagonist nimodipine in intractable epilepsy. |
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Authors: | F A de Falco U Bartiromo L Majello G Di Geronimo P Mundo |
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Affiliation: | Department of Neurophysiology, 2nd School of Medicine, University of Naples, Italy. |
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Abstract: | The influx of Ca2+ into the neuron seems to play an important role in the genesis of epileptic seizures, and current research suggests that calcium entry blockers may have anticonvulsant activity. We used nimodipine, a calcium antagonist with high central nervous system affinity at a fixed dosage of 30 mg, t.i.d., in 21 patients with intractable epilepsy caused by organic brain lesions in addition to basal antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. After a 12-week treatment period 14 patients (67%) showed a decrease in seizure frequency, four patients had no change, and three had an increase. In eight patients (38%) seizure frequency decreased by greater than 40%. The p value with one-tailed t-test was 0.0491. No significant modifications in AED or electrolyte serum levels were found. One patient had a lowering of blood pressure at this dosage. |
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Keywords: | Epilepsy Anticonvulsants Nimodipine Drug-induced abnormalities |
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