Hemodynamic effects of the antithrombotic drug cilostazol in chronic arterial occlusion in the extremities.

An open clinical trial was performed to determine whether or not the antithrombotic drug cilostazol (6-[4-(1-cyclohexyl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)butoxy]-3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-qui nolinone, OPC-13013) at 150 mg/day would increase ankle blood flow in 13 lower extremities in 9 patients with chronic arterial occlusion. After 2 weeks of treatment, ankle blood flow in the lower extremities increased by a mean of 16.16 +/- 7.08% (p less than 0.05, t-test) over the initial level. From these results, it was concluded that cilostazol has a significant beneficial hemodynamic effect on chronic arterial occlusion in the extremities.