title: Controlled trial of nimodipine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Calcium channel blocking drugs antagonize excitatory amino acid receptor activation, decrease calcium entry into damaged neurons, and might help to slow or reverse amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We enrolled 87 patients with ALS in a randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective, double-blind crossover study of nimodipine therapy. Monthly measures of isometric muscle strength and respiratory function compared the effects of drug and placebo. No difference in adverse events occurred in placebo vs drug-treated patients, but diarrhoea, nausea, and lightheadedness were more common with nimodipine. There was no significant difference in the rate of decline of pulmonary function or limb strength during treatment with drug or placebo. Nimodipine was ineffective in slowing the progress of ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khramstov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D009553:Nimodipine