Vinpocetine 5mg (Calan® Tab., one tablet) was administered orally three times daily to 42 patients with vertigo or dizziness as their chief complaint for 4 to 8 weeks and the clinical efficacy of the drug was investigated. At the same time, the influence of the drug on vertebral arterial blood flow and common carotid arterial blood flow was tested by the ultrasonic doppler method.
1. The clinical efficacy based on subjective symptoms and objective findings was excellent in 28.6%, good in 31.0%, fair in 16.6%, and poor in 23.8%. The efficacy rate (fair to excellent) was as high as 76.2%.
2. Clinical efficacy tended to be higher in patients over 50 years old than in younger patients.
3. In patients showing a decrease or right-left difference in vertebral arterial blood flow before administration, the efficacy rate was low, i.e. 52.4%, as compared with 100% in the normal blood flow group.
4. In 19 patients in whom the vertebral arterial blood flow could be determined before and after administration, the drug caused a significant increase in blood flow. On the other hand, no change in blood flow was found in the common carotid arteries.
5. In patients with a vertebral arterial blood flow of 0.8ml/s or less prior to administration, the treatment was invariably ineffective. The efficacy rate was higher in those showing no laterality after administration than in those with laterality.
6. One patient who was followed for a long time showed progressive improvement in clinical symptoms as the vertebral arterial blood flow improved.
7. No adverse reaction was observed, nor was there any change in blood pressure or pulse rate.
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