Efficacy of nimodipine in comparison with pizotifen in the prophylaxis of migraine.

The efficacy of nimodipine in comparison with that of pizotifen was assessed in the prophylaxis of migraine in a double-blind cross-over study, in which a double-dummy technique was also utilized. The study was carried out on 43 migraine patients, of whom 15 had classic and 28 had common migraine. A 4-week run-in placebo period preceded the drug treatments, the drug treatments lasted 12 weeks, and there was a washout placebo period of 4 weeks between nimodipine and pizotifen treatments. The dosages used were 40 mg three times daily for nimodipine and 0.5 mg three times daily for pizotifen. Both nimodipine and pizotifen proved to be better than placebo, the number of migraine attacks showing a significant reduction. There was no difference between nimodipine and pizotifen in antimigrainous efficacy, but there were fewer side effects during the nimodipine period. The results suggest that nimodipine is an effective drug for the prophylaxis of migraine, with few side effects and therapeutic efficacy equal to that of pizotifen.