Comparative profile of tizanidine in the management of spasticity.

The therapeutic profile of a new antispastic drug cannot be defined solely on the basis of placebo-controlled studies. Its potential advantages must be evaluated in comparison with existing drugs. This review compares the efficacy and tolerability of tizanidine, a newer muscle relaxant, with that of baclofen and diazepam, the most widely used antispastic agents, for a variety of diagnoses and target symptoms associated with spasticity. More than 20 double-blind, comparative studies were conducted between 1977 and 1987. These included a total of 777 patients suffering from spasticity of various causes. The collected clinical data have been integrated into a combined analysis. Tizanidine emerges from this comparison as a valuable drug in the treatment of spasticity related to cerebral and spinal disorders.