Pentoxifylline and cerebrovascular diseases

Pentoxifylline is a drug known to increase red cell deformability, thus allowing the 7- to 8-micrometers diameter red cell to flow through the narrowest capillaries of 3-5 micrometers diameter. Red cell deformability is reduced in various forms of cerebrovascular impairment. Pentoxifylline can be effective in these states, not only in restoring red cell deformability, but also on hemodynamic and clinical parameters. Regional blood flow is influenced favorably by the drug. Many double-blind trials advocating its clinical efficacy are reviewed in this paper.