Mental deterioration in old age: results of two multicenter, clinical trials with nimodipine. The Nimodipine Study Group.

: The efficacy and tolerability of nimodipine, a calcium antagonist selective for the central nervous system, was evaluated in old age dementias in two multicenter, clinical trials. A total of 755 elderly patients suffering from mental deterioration of degenerative or vascular origin were enrolled in the studies. In the first study, 352 patients received nimodipine 30 mg TID orally for 3 months; in the second study, 403 patients received the same treatment for 6 months. In both studies, psychobehavioral instruments showed a highly significant improvement of the global functional state. In hypertensive patients, nimodipine had a synergistic effect with the antihypertensive drugs. These results confirm the therapeutic efficacy and safety of nimodipine in the treatment of old age dementias.