title: Long-term therapy of essential tremor with flunarizine.
abstract: We investigated the effect of long-term treatment of essential tremor (ET) with flunarizine (Fz) (10 mg/day) in 17 subjects who had a favorable response to 1 month of treatment. Side effects (dystonia, parkinsonism, weight gain and depression) occurred in 29.4% (5/17) of patients, leading to drug discontinuation. Fz was still effective at the end of 30 months of treatment in 41% (7/17) of patients. Loss of efficacy was observed in 29.4% (5/17) of patients. It is concluded that Fz is an alternative for long-term treatment of patients with ET; however, loss of efficacy and side effects are common.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Biary
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: al Deeb
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bahou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005444:Flunarizine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014202:Tremor / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005444:Flunarizine