Effect of Single Oral Administration of Nilvadipine on Cerebral Blood Flow in Chronic Cerebral Infarction

Abstract

The effect of nilvadipine, a newly developed calcium antagonist, on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was investigated in 7 patients with chronic cerebral infarction. rCBF was measured by the 133Xenon inhalation method. Patients were given a single dose of 4 mg of nilvadipine after the first measurement of rCBF, and the second measurement was done one hour after the administra tion. All patients had hemiparesis and 2 of them had mild to moderate mental deterioration, but all patients could walk to the outpatient clinic by themselves. Results: (1) rCBF of the affected side significantly increased by 22.7% after single oral administration of nilvadipine (p<0.05). The increase of rCBF was significantly marked in frontal regions of the affected hemispheres. (2) No sig nificant changes in blood pressure or end tidal partial pressure of carbon diox ide were observed during the examination. These results indicate that nilvadipine has a potent selective vasodilatory action on the cerebral arteries in patients with cerebral infarction.