Effect of nimodipine (Bay e 9736) on postischaemic cerebrovascular reactivity, as revealed by measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured, using the xenon-133 intracarotid injection technique in 10 patients with an acute ischaemic stroke, involving the cerebral cortex, before and after intravenous injection of a single dose of nimodipine (Bay e 9736). After nimodipine application in all patients a dose dependent increase of hemispheric blood flow was observed. In the regional pattern the stroke area showed, after nimodipine in 9 patients relatively similar changes in blood flow as the hemispheric flow did. In three of these patients the increase reached such a level, that the presence was concluded of an inverse steal phenomenon. The intracerebral steal phenomenon was not observed. As a side effect in one patient a mild fall in blood pressure and sinusbradycardia was observed, of short duration.