Effect of calcium antagonists of the verapamil type on regional cerebral blood flow and bioelectric activity of the brain in patients with cerebral infarction

The authors have studied the regional volume cerebral blood flow (RVCBF) in 25 patients with acute cerebral infarction before and after the intravenous administration of 5-7.5 mg of isoptin and carried out quantitative frequency analysis of the EEG in 20 patients prior to and following the administration of 5 mg of finoptin. It has been revealed that isoptin augments the RVCBF in the infarcted zone, particularly when patients with extensive infarction, edema and atrophy of the cerebral tissue (according to findings of computer-aided tomography) have low baseline levels of the RVCF and somewhat decreases the blood flow in intact zones. The administration of finoptin tended to normalize the EEG, particularly in the infarcted area in patients with a severe clinical picture of infarction. Calcium antagonists of the verapamil type exert a favourable effect on perfusion and bioelectrical activity of the brain; as a result their use is indicated in the patients with acute cerebral infarction.