[Whole blood filterability in chronic cerebrovascular disorders: effects of the use of buflomedil hydrochloride].

Buflomedil chlorhydrate is a newly synthesized molecule with a notable effect of vasodilatation even on cerebral blood vessels. It is effective in the treatment of Chronic Cerebrovascular Disorders (CCVD) as it reduces membrane rigidity in red blood cells. Since, however, new techniques for the evaluation of this haemorheological parameter suggest it may no longer be considered the sole expression of whole blood filterability we decided to monitor the haemorheological effect of Buflomedil once again. The aim of this random blind vs. Placebo study was to monitor whole blood filterability (Reid and coll., 1976) and its main determinants (hematocrit, leucocyte count, fibrinogen levels, plasma viscosity and red blood cell deformability) in 20 (10 male and 10 female) CCVD patients (Ad Hoc Committee, Paris, 1980), aged between 66 and 75 years of age before and after intravenous injection in bolus of 150 mg Buflomedil chlorhydrate. Our results showed a significant increase in whole blood filterability, confirming those of recent studies on other molecules with a known effect on the haemorheological pattern but not only on the plasticity of red blood cells. Further studies are therefore necessary to define the rheological activity of this drug more precisely.