Verapamil in the prophylaxis of episodic cluster headache: A double-blind study versus placebo

Leone, M. MD
D’Amico, D. MD
Frediani, F. MD
Moschiano, F. MD
Grazzi, L. MD
Attanasio, A. MD
Bussone, G. MD

From the Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta (Drs. Leone, D’Amico, Grazzi, Attanasio, and Bussone), Milan; Magenta Hospital, Neurological Department (Dr. Frediani), Magenta; and San Leopoldo Mandic Hospital, Neurological Department (Dr. Moschiano), Merate, Italy.

Received October 1, 1999.

Accepted in final form December 3, 1999.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. G. Bussone, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy; e-mail: [email protected]

Additional material related to this article can be found on the Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and then scroll down the Table of Contents for the March 28 issue to find the title link for this article.

Neurology 54(6):p 1382-1385, March 28, 2000.

Article abstract

The authors performed a double-blind, double-dummy study to compare the efficacy of verapamil with placebo in the prophylaxis of episodic cluster headache. After 5 days’ run-in, 15 patients received verapamil (120 mg tid) and 15 received placebo (tid) for 14 days. The authors found a significant reduction in attack frequency and abortive agents consumption in the verapamil group. Side effects were mild. These findings provide objective evidence for the effectiveness of verapamil in episodic cluster headache prophylaxis.