Nimodipine in the treatment of headache in chronic cerebral ischemia.

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.