[Effect of vinpocetin on the hemorheologic parameters in patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease].
BACKGROUND
Data collected from large number of multicenter, randomized trials in acute and chronic stroke patients provide evidence, that incidence and high mortality of cerebrovascular disorders can be decreased mainly by prevention and that the effectiveness of acute stroke treatment is limited. The terminology of "chronic cerebrovascular diseases" involves many pathologic entities and often atypical clinical symptoms refer to the focal or global hypoperfusion of the brain. However, hemorheological disturbances seem to be important factors of the complex pathomechanism. Vinpocetine has successfully been used in the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, the part of the mechanism of action are the favourable rheological effects demonstrated after oral administration in more previous studies.


OBJECTIVE
In this study the hemorheological changes after administration of small (30 mg/day) and high dose (increased to 70 mg/day) intravenous vinpocetine for 7 days in 30 patients in chronic phase of ischemic cerebrovascular disease were investigated.


RESULTS
High dose parenteral vinpocetine treatment significantly (p < 0.05-0.005) decreased the hematocrit, the whole blood and plasma viscosity and red blood cell aggregation compared to the values before the treatment. Only red blood cell aggregation was improved significantly (p < 0.05) by small dose treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This study and other hemorheological studies in cerebrovascular patients demonstrated persistent rheological abnormalities despite the preventive therapy. The beneficial rheological effect of high dose parenteral vinpocetine indicates the use of this drug in the treatment of chronic cerebrovascular diseases.
Szapáry
László
L
Pécsi Tudományegyetem, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, Neurológiai Klinika. szapary@neuro.pote.hu
Horváth
Beáta
B
Alexy
Tamás
T
Márton
Zsolt
Z
Késmárky
Gábor
G
Szóts
Mónika
M
Nagy
Ferenc
F
Czopf
József
J
Tóth
Kálmán
K
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; C013983:vinpocetine