Nimodipine in human alcohol withdrawal syndrome--an open study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the DHP Ca2+ antagonist nimodipine in human AWS and post-AWS. Ten hospitalized alcoholics of both sexes with a diagnosis of AWS according to the DSM-III criteria were treated for 3 weeks in monotherapy with nimodipine p.o. at flexible daily dosages. Evaluation of AWS symptoms was performed at baseline and after 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days. A statistically significant improvement of AWS was seen at evaluation on day 3, particularly in neurovegetative and psychopathological symptoms, and lasted up to the end of the study. The treatment was well tolerated and no side effects were observed or reported. In this pilot, open study nimodipine proved effective in the treatment of mild-to-moderate AWS. If these data are confirmed in a double-blind study nimodipine could be a rational alternative to benzodiazepines in the treatment of AWS.