Prevention and treatment of vasospasm. 1998

A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
Division of Neuroresuscitation, Hospital Niguarda Ca' Granda, Milan, Italy.

Cerebral vasospasm is a frequent and severe complication of SAH. Angiographic vasospasm may be seen in 70% of patients and delayed cerebral ischemic deficits are observed in 30% of patients. Since vasodilator drugs cannot reverse cerebral vasospasm, treatment is directed to prevent vasospasm and to prevent or reverse ischemic deficits. The mainstay of treatment of vasospasm is the hypertensive hypervolemia dilution (triple H therapy); the mainstay of prevention is the calcium channel blocker nimodipine. The efficacy of triple H therapy has not been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials, while several randomized trials have demonstrated that nimodipine reduces poor outcome due to vasospasm in all grades of patients. Some randomized, clinical trials are recently performed on the efficacy of rTPA (on the basis of the correlation between the amount of cisternal blood and the incidence and severity of vasospasm) and of tirilazed (on the basis of the role of lipidic peroxidation and free radical generation in the pathogenesis of spasm). Balloon angioplasty and/or super-selective intra-arterial infusion of papaverine can be considered when patient is refractory to medical and pharmacological treatment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009553 Nimodipine A calcium channel blockader with preferential cerebrovascular activity. It has marked cerebrovascular dilating effects and lowers blood pressure. Admon,Bay e 9736,Brainal,Calnit,Kenesil,Modus,Nimodipin Hexal,Nimodipin-ISIS,Nimodipino Bayvit,Nimotop,Nymalize,Remontal,Bayvit, Nimodipino,Hexal, Nimodipin,Nimodipin ISIS,e 9736, Bay
D010952 Plasma Substitutes Any liquid used to replace blood plasma, usually a saline solution, often with serum albumins, dextrans or other preparations. These substances do not enhance the oxygen- carrying capacity of blood, but merely replace the volume. They are also used to treat dehydration. Blood Expanders,Plasma Volume Expanders,Expanders, Blood,Expanders, Plasma Volume,Substitutes, Plasma,Volume Expanders, Plasma
D002121 Calcium Channel Blockers A class of drugs that act by selective inhibition of calcium influx through cellular membranes. Calcium Antagonists, Exogenous,Calcium Blockaders, Exogenous,Calcium Channel Antagonist,Calcium Channel Blocker,Calcium Channel Blocking Drug,Calcium Inhibitors, Exogenous,Channel Blockers, Calcium,Exogenous Calcium Blockader,Exogenous Calcium Inhibitor,Calcium Channel Antagonists,Calcium Channel Blocking Drugs,Exogenous Calcium Antagonists,Exogenous Calcium Blockaders,Exogenous Calcium Inhibitors,Antagonist, Calcium Channel,Antagonists, Calcium Channel,Antagonists, Exogenous Calcium,Blockader, Exogenous Calcium,Blocker, Calcium Channel,Blockers, Calcium Channel,Calcium Blockader, Exogenous,Calcium Inhibitor, Exogenous,Channel Antagonist, Calcium,Channel Blocker, Calcium,Inhibitor, Exogenous Calcium
D002546 Ischemic Attack, Transient Brief reversible episodes of focal, nonconvulsive ischemic dysfunction of the brain having a duration of less than 24 hours, and usually less than one hour, caused by transient thrombotic or embolic blood vessel occlusion or stenosis. Events may be classified by arterial distribution, temporal pattern, or etiology (e.g., embolic vs. thrombotic). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp814-6) Brain Stem Ischemia, Transient,Cerebral Ischemia, Transient,Crescendo Transient Ischemic Attacks,Transient Ischemic Attack,Anterior Circulation Transient Ischemic Attack,Brain Stem Transient Ischemic Attack,Brain TIA,Brainstem Ischemia, Transient,Brainstem Transient Ischemic Attack,Carotid Circulation Transient Ischemic Attack,Posterior Circulation Transient Ischemic Attack,TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack),Transient Ischemic Attack, Anterior Circulation,Transient Ischemic Attack, Brain Stem,Transient Ischemic Attack, Brainstem,Transient Ischemic Attack, Carotid Circulation,Transient Ischemic Attack, Posterior Circulation,Transient Ischemic Attack, Vertebrobasilar Circulation,Transient Ischemic Attacks, Crescendo,Vertebrobasilar Circulation Transient Ischemic Attack,Attack, Transient Ischemic,Attacks, Transient Ischemic,Brainstem Ischemias, Transient,Cerebral Ischemias, Transient,Ischemia, Transient Brainstem,Ischemia, Transient Cerebral,Ischemias, Transient Brainstem,Ischemias, Transient Cerebral,Ischemic Attacks, Transient,TIA, Brain,TIAs (Transient Ischemic Attack),Transient Brainstem Ischemia,Transient Cerebral Ischemia,Transient Cerebral Ischemias,Transient Ischemic Attacks
D006438 Hemodilution Reduction of blood viscosity usually by the addition of cell free solutions. Used clinically (1) in states of impaired microcirculation, (2) for replacement of intraoperative blood loss without homologous blood transfusion, and (3) in cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermia. Hemodilutions
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013566 Sympathomimetics Drugs that mimic the effects of stimulating postganglionic adrenergic sympathetic nerves. Included here are drugs that directly stimulate adrenergic receptors and drugs that act indirectly by provoking the release of adrenergic transmitters. Amines, Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic Agent,Sympathomimetic Drug,Sympathomimetic Agents,Sympathomimetic Drugs,Sympathomimetic Effect,Sympathomimetic Effects,Agent, Sympathomimetic,Agents, Sympathomimetic,Drug, Sympathomimetic,Drugs, Sympathomimetic,Effect, Sympathomimetic,Effects, Sympathomimetic,Sympathomimetic Amines

Related Publications

A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
October 2007, Journal of the neurological sciences,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
May 1998, Minerva anestesiologica,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
December 1991, Seminars in neurology,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
January 2002, Przeglad lekarski,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
November 1998, Circulation,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
August 1989, Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
January 2015, Neurologia medico-chirurgica,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
May 1998, Journal of neurosurgery,
A Levati, and C Solaini, and L Boselli
October 2006, Neurological research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!