• Overview
  • Highly lipid-soluble nefedipine analog
  • Ready access to the CNS -- reduces large cerebral arterial contraction
• Clinical Use:
  • Cerebral Vasospasm:
    • Useful in preventing/reducing cerebral vasospasm associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage
    • Vasospasm -- mediated by calcium ion influx
    • Nimodipine (Nimotop) administered over a three week course (oral administration) results and decreased frequency of neurologic defects secondary to cerebral vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.
      • For comatose patients: deliver through nasogastric tube
    •  Side effects/Concerns:
      • systemic hypotension (with excess nimodipine (Nimotop) effect)
      • possible increase in intracranial pressure -- especially in patients with decreased intracranial compliance

Stoelting, R.K., "Calcium Channel Blockers", in Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice, Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1999, p. 350.