Nimodipine 30 mg vial

Dosage and Side Effects

The recommended dosage of Nimodipine consists of two 30 mg tablets, totaling 60 mg, to be taken every 4 hours throughout the day, amounting to a daily intake of 360 mg. It’s important to swallow the tablets whole with a small amount of liquid, either with or without food. It’s advisable to refrain from consuming grapefruit juice while on this medication. Treatment for preventing complications due to subarachnoid hemorrhage should ideally begin within four days of its onset and persist for 21 days.

If surgical intervention occurs during this period, the tablet intake should continue to complete the 21-day regimen. In case of adverse reactions, adjustments in the Nimodipine dose or discontinuation of treatment might be necessary.

Nimodipine also exists in a solution form for intravenous use, with an initial infusion of 1 mg per hour for the first few hours (5 ml of Nimodipine solution), which can then be increased to 2 mg per hour (10 ml solution) if well tolerated, unless there’s a significant drop in blood pressure. Patients with lower body weight or unstable blood pressure may require a starting dose of 0.5 mg per hour (2.5 ml solution) or less as needed.

There’s also an oral solution available at a concentration of 60 mg per 20 mL (3 mg/mL). The standard oral dose is 20 mL (60 mg) every 4 hours for 21 consecutive days. It’s crucial to administer this medication via the oral route (e.g., swallowing through a tube in the nose or stomach), avoiding intravenous or other parenteral routes. Begin treatment within 96 hours of the SAH onset. For all administration methods, take the medication an hour before or two hours after meals.

Common side effects of Nimodipine reported by patients include increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, headache, nausea, stomach discomfort, muscle cramps, rash, and swelling (edema) throughout the body.