Calcium Antagonists for Ischemic Stroke

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Abstract
Background and Purpose—Stroke is a common disease, and many trials with calcium antagonists as possible neuroprotective agents have been conducted. The aim of this review is to determine whether calcium antagonists reduce the risk of death or dependency after acute ischemic stroke. Methods—Acute stroke trials were identified with help of the Cochrane Collaboration Stroke Group and personal contacts. All randomized trials (published and unpublished) investigating a calcium antagonist (acting on voltage-sensitive calcium channels) were included. Poor outcome, defined as death or dependency in activities of daily living, was used as main outcome. Analyses were, if possible, “intention-to-treat”; pooled relative risks with 95% CIs were calculated. Results—Forty-seven trials were identified, of which 29 were included (7665 patients). No effect of calcium antagonists on poor outcome at the end of follow-up (relative risk, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.09) or on death at end of follow-up (relative risk, 1.07; 95% CI, ...