[Clinical double blind study with the calcium antagonist flunarizine cerebral circulatory disturbances]

In a clinically controlled double-blind study the effect of flunarizine (Sibelium) was compared with that of placebo in patients with involutional depression (WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD No. 296.0) and with cerebral circulatory disturbances (ICD No. 293.1). Effectiveness was objectified with the aid of the Clinical Global Impression test (CGI), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE), and the "wellbeing tests" Bf-S and Bf-S'. Duration of treatment was 6 weeks. 32 patients were available for the final evaluation. In a combination of the good to excellent results considered as effective and the moderate to unsatisfactory results considered as ineffective the 82% rate of improvement in favour of the cerebral Ca2+ antagonist flunarizine was significantly superior to the 26% reached in the placebo group. The correlation with the psychopathometric tests has been proved. The medication was shown to be well tolerated. Side-effects did not appear. The mechanisms of action of the cerebral Ca2+ antagonist are discussed.