Nimotop Side Effects Center

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Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

What Is Nimotop?

Nimotop (nimodipine) Capsules are calcium channel blockers indicated for the improvement of neurological outcome by reducing the incidence and severity of ischemic deficits in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured intracranial berry aneurysms regardless of their post-ictus neurological condition (i.e., Hunt and Hess Grades I-V). Nimotop is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Nimotop?

Side effects of Nimotop include:

dizziness,
flushing (redness, warmth, tingly feeling),
headache,
nausea,
constipation,
sweating,
unusually fast or slow heartbeats,
fainting, and
low blood pressure (hypotension).

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Nimotop, including:

fainting, or
slow or fast heartbeat.

Dosage for Nimotop

The oral dose is 60 mg (two 30 mg capsules) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days, preferably not less than one hour before or two hours after meals. Oral Nimotop therapy should commence within 96 hours of the subarachnoid hemorrhage.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Nimotop?

Nimotop may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Nimotop During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with Nimotop; it may harm a fetus. It is unknown if Nimotop passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Nimotop (nimodipine) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Digestive Disorders: Common Misconceptions See Slideshow

Nimotop Consumer Information

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
fast or slow heart rate; or
swelling in your ankles or feet.

Common side effects may include:

low blood pressure (feeling light-headed);
nausea, upset stomach;
slow heartbeats; or
muscle pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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About how much does an adult human brain weigh? See Answer

Nimotop Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

Adverse experiences were reported by 92 of 823 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (11.2%) who were given nimodipine. The most frequently reported adverse experience was decreased blood pressure in 4.4% of these patients. Twenty-nine of 479 (6.1%) placebo treated patients also reported adverse experiences. The events reported with a frequency greater than 1% are displayed below by dose.

DOSE q4h
Number of Patients
(%) Nimodipine

Sign/Symptom	0.35 mg/kg (n=82)	30 mg (n=71)	60 mg (n=494)	90 mg (n=172)	120 mg (n=4)	Placebo (n=479)
Decreased Blood Pressure	1 (1.2)	0	19 (3.8)	14 (8.1)	2 (50.0)	6 (1.2)
Abnormal Liver Function Test	1 (1.2)	0	2 (0.4)	1 (0.6)	0	7 (1.5)
Edema	0	0	2 (0.4)	2 (1.2)	0	3 (0.6)
Diarrhea	0	3 (4.2)	0	3 (1.7)	0	3 (0.6)
Rash	2 (2.4)	0	3 (0.6)	2 (1.2)	0	3 (0.6)
Headache	0	1 (1.4)	6 (1.2)	0	0	1 (0.2)
Gastrointestinal Symptoms	2 (2.4)	0	0	2 (1.2)	0	0
Nausea	1 (1.2)	1 (1.4)	6 (1.2)	1 (0.6)	0	0
Dyspnea	1 (1.2)	0	0	0	0	0
EKG Abnormalities	0	1 (1.4)	0	1 (0.6)	0	0
Tachycardia	0	1 (1.4)	0	0	0	0
Bradycardia	0	0	5 (1.0)	1 (0.6)	0	0
Muscle Pain/Cramp	0	1 (1.4)	1 (0.2)	1 (0.6)	0	0
Acne	0	1 (1.4)	0	0	0	0
Depression	0	1 (1.4)	0	0	0	0

There were no other adverse experiences reported by the patients who were given 0.35 mg/kg q4h, 30 mg q4h or 120 mg q4h. Adverse experiences with an incidence rate of less than 1% in the 60 mg q4h dose group were: hepatitis; itching; gastrointestinal hemorrhage; thrombocytopenia; anemia; palpitations; vomiting; flushing; diaphoresis; wheezing; phenytoin toxicity; lightheadedness; dizziness; rebound vasospasm; jaundice; hypertension; hematoma.

Adverse experiences with an incidence rate less than 1% in the 90 mg q4h dose group were: itching, gastrointestinal hemorrhage; thrombocytopenia; neurological deterioration; vomiting; diaphoresis; congestive heart failure; hyponatremia; decreasing platelet count; disseminated intravascular coagulation; deep vein thrombosis.

As can be seen from the table, side effects that appear related to nimodipine use based on increased incidence with higher dose or a higher rate compared to placebo control, included decreased blood pressure, edema and headaches which are known pharmacologic actions of calcium channel blockers. It must be noted, however, that SAH is frequently accompanied by alterations in consciousness which lead to an under reporting of adverse experiences. Patients who received nimodipine in clinical trials for other indications reported flushing (2.1%), headache (4.1%) and fluid retention (0.3%), typical responses to calcium channel blockers. As a calcium channel blocker, nimodipine may have the potential to exacerbate heart failure in susceptible patients or to interfere with A-V conduction, but these events were not observed.

No clinically significant effects on hematologic factors, renal or hepatic function or carbohydrate metabolism have been causally associated with oral nimodipine. Isolated cases of non-fasting elevated serum glucose levels (0.8%), elevated LDH levels (0.4%), decreased platelet counts (0.3%), elevated alkaline phosphatase levels (0.2%) and elevated SGPT levels (0.2%) have been reported rarely.

Drug Abuse And Dependence

There have been no reported instances of drug abuse or dependence with Nimotop® (nimodipine) .

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Nimotop (Nimodipine)