[Raynaud's phenomenon and calcium blocking agents. A preliminary open study with flunarizine]. / Fenomeno di Raynaud e farmaci calcio-antagonisti. Studio preliminare in aperto con flunarizina.

Raynaud's phenomenon (Raynaud's disease), an accessual vascular acrosyndrome characterised by an important constriction of distal arterioles, has still no specific pharmacological therapy. In the last years, the use of calcium-entry-blockers (nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil, nicardipine), drugs able to control the contractility of the vessels, showed some positive results. Considering this data, we appraised the efficacy of flunarizine, another calcium-entry-blocker, in a preliminary study of 28 patients (23 females, 5 males, aged between 15 and 48 years) suffering from Raynaud's disease. Apart from a statistically insignificant improvement of subjective symptoms (i.e. acroparesthesias, cold extremities) flunarizine (10 mg/day for 1 month) did not have positive results. Finally, this drug caused some side-effects: drowsiness, increase of weight and appetite, but without a real necessity for withdrawal of therapy.