Effects of a Calcium Channel-Blocking Agent, Nimodipine, on Injured-Spinal Cord Na+-K+- ATPase Activity

Five minutes before spina! cord injury. an 0.02 mg/kg dese of nimodipine was started via a femora! catheter and continued for 96 hours after injury. Pre-and post-injury and post-infusion mean arterla! blood pressure (MABP)recordings were obtained. The levels of injured cord sodium-potassium-adenosine triphosphatase activi­ ty were measured. There was a statistical!y significant decrease in MABPafter cord injury and also a smal! but not significant in­ crease in MABP after the beginning of nimodipine infusion.