Effect of nimodipine on platelet function in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage

We studied platelet function in 41 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage who were randomized to receive either nimodipine or placebo in a double-blind fashion. Nimodipine was given to 21 patients, intravenously for 7-10 days and then orally until 21 days after the subarachnoid hemorrhage. The other 20 patients received placebo in a similar manner. Nimodipine did not significantly influence platelet aggregability. For the first 1-5 days after the subarachnoid hemorrhage, nimodipine treatment did not have any notable effect on adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet thromboxane B2 release, but a significant (p less than 0.05) inhibitory effect was observed thereafter. During intravenous administration, nimodipine prevented the increase in thromboxane release otherwise observed after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Concomitant with the decrease in thromboxane release, nimodipine increased the platelet count both before and after surgery so that the capacity for thromboxane formation per liter of blood decreased less than expected on the basis of thromboxane release per 10(7) platelets. Our study suggests that nimodipine might diminish the chance of cerebral ischemia by inhibiting platelet thromboxane release.