Vertigo, particularly of vascular origin, treated with flunarizine (R 14 950)

The antivertiginous properties of 1-[bis(p-fluorophenyl)-methyl]-4-cinnamylpiperazine (flunarizine, R 14 950) were evaluated in three consecutive studies -- two open and one double-blind -- in a total of 99 patients showing definite vertigo. Dosage was two tablets (= 20 mg) t.i.d. for three days in Study I (50 patients), 20 mg t.i.d. for two months in Study II (31 patients), and weekly decreasing doses of four, three, two and one (maintenance) tablets of flunarizine or placebo for three months in Study III (9/18 patients with vertigo of recent origin). Improvement of vertigo was significant both objectively and subjectively in Studies I and II. In Study III, objective tests were always clearly in favour of flunarizine, but subjectively, flunarizine was superior only by month two. Vertigo of vascular origin seemed to be a preferential indication for flunarizine treatment. No major side-effects were found in these studies.