Does nimodipine treat vasospasm?
Nimodipine. Nimodipine is a dihydropyridine that blocks calcium influx through the L-type calcium channels. It is the most rigorously studied and only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in treatment of vasospasm.
Does nimodipine prevent vasospasm?
Oral nimodipine is the most studied calcium channel blocker for prevention of vasospasm after SAH. An American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guideline recommends its use for this purpose (class I, level of evidence A).
What is a vasospasm?
A vasospasm is the narrowing of the arteries caused by a persistent contraction of the blood vessels, which is known as vasoconstriction. This narrowing can reduce blood flow. Vasospasms can affect any area of the body including the brain (cerebral vasospasm) and the coronary artery (coronary artery vasospasm).
What does nimodipine do in SAH?
Nimodipine is used to decrease problems due to a certain type of bleeding in the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage-SAH). Nimodipine is called a calcium channel blocker. The body naturally responds to bleeding by narrowing the blood vessel to slow blood flow.
How is vasospasm treated?
Treatment for vasospasm can occur through both ICU intervention and endovascular administration of intra-arterial vasodilators and balloon angioplasty. The best outcomes are often attained when these methods are used in conjunction.
What medication is used to decrease vasospasm?
Nimodipine. Nimodipine is a dihydropyridine agent that blocks voltage-gated calcium channels and has a dilatory effect on arterial smooth muscle. It is the only FDA-approved agent for vasospasm with a half-life of about 9 h [6].
How do you prevent vasospasm?
Maintenance of euvolemia and normal circulating blood volume is recommended to prevent vasospasm. In symptomatic vasospasm, induction of hypertension is recommended to achieve increased cerebral blood flow. Hypervolemia is no longer recommended as a measure to prevent vasospasm.
Can you feel a vasospasm?
A sudden spasm of the coronary arteries can feel like a heart attack or even cause a small one.
What are the side effects of nimodipine?
Nimodipine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- headache.
- diarrhea.
- nausea.
- muscle pain.
- rash.
How is nimodipine used to treat cerebral vasospasm?
The authors provide an updated review of the literature for previous and recent clinical trials evaluating medical treatments in patients with cerebral vasospasm secondary to aSAH. Currently, the strongest evidence supports use of prophylactic oral nimodipine and initiation of triple-H therapy for patients in cerebral vasospasm.
What are the causes and symptoms of vasospasm?
Types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment Vasospasm is a medical condition characterized by the gradual contraction of arteries that carry oxygenated blood. Abnormal contraction prevents normal blood flow affecting various parts of the body. A vasospasm definition will depend on the location it occurs in.
How are medications used to treat vasospasm in the brain?
The main treatment is to increase blood flow to the brain, so that more oxygen gets to the injured area. A calcium channel blocker, called nimodipine, doesn’t stop vasospasms, but it improves neurological outcome. Treatment is with medications that reduce or relieve vasospasm, including: There are several treatments for this, including:
How is vasospasm related to delayed cerebral ischemia?
Vasospasm is an angiographic phenomenon (Figure 1) that may or may not manifest clinically and is predictive of DCI. Not all patients with vasospasm, however, develop DCI, 9 which is the clinical (or neuroimaging) manifestation of delayed ischemia.
