title: Combination of aminocaproic acid and nicardipine in treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
abstract: Antifibrinolytic drugs reduce the risk of rebleeding during the first 2 weeks after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, they do not lower overall mortality, largely because of an increased incidence of cerebral ischemia. The usefulness of antifibrinolytic drugs might be increased if a method to prevent or control vasospasm in patients were to be developed. We recently completed late Phase I and Phase II studies of the calcium ion blocking drug nicardipine in 67 patients treated within 1 week of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Of these 67 patients, 42 had delayed operations and were treated concomitantly with the antifibrinolytic drug aminocaproic acid (1.5 g/hr) for an average of 6 days before surgery. The outcome of these 42 patients is the subject of this report. Fifteen of 42 patients were treated with the lower dosage levels of nicardipine (0.4-4.5 mg/m2/hr), and 27 patients were treated at the highest dosage level (6.0 mg/m2/hr). Using the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons scale for subarachnoid hemorrhage, at admission 18 patients were Grade I, 15 were Grade II, 6 were Grade III, and 3 were Grade IV. Five patients (12%) developed clinical signs of deterioration suggestive of cerebral ischemia with concomitant evidence of vasospasm on arteriography. These patients were all treated with hypervolemic hypertensive therapy. Only one patient (2%) developed an infarction from vasospasm. Two patients developed symptomatic hydrocephalus requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunting, and a third patient required a temporary ventriculostomy. The 3-month postoperative outcomes were excellent. Three patients (7%) rebled. Three patients died, two from rebleeding of the aneurysm and one who never regained consciousness from the initial hemorrhage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Flamm
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Godersky
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Loftus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000614:Aminocaproates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000614:Aminocaproates; D009529:Nicardipine