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Nimodipine as an add-on therapy for intractable epilepsy
F B Meyer1, G D Cascino, J P Whisnant
1Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings
|July 1, 1995
Summary
This study found nimodipine did not significantly reduce seizures in patients with intractable epilepsy. Nimodipine was well-tolerated but showed no beneficial effect as add-on therapy for epilepsy treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Intractable epilepsy affects a significant patient population.
- Identifying effective add-on therapies for refractory epilepsy remains a clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of nimodipine as an add-on therapy for patients with intractable epilepsy.
- To assess the safety and tolerability of nimodipine in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- A 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study involving 95 patients with epilepsy.
- Nimodipine (60 mg four times daily) was administered as add-on therapy to existing antiepileptic drugs.
- Seizure frequency and side effects were recorded using patient diaries.
Main Results:
- Nimodipine was generally well-tolerated, with only two patients discontinuing due to adverse effects.
- The study found no significant reduction in seizure frequency or seizure days with nimodipine treatment.
- Peak serum nimodipine levels were low (<5 ng/mL) in patients who completed the study.
Conclusions:
- Nimodipine demonstrated no beneficial effect as an add-on therapy for intractable epilepsy.
- Potential reasons for lack of efficacy include patient selection (highly refractory cases) or low serum concentrations possibly due to drug interactions with concurrent antiepileptic medications.