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Use of calcium channel blockers after stroke is not associated with poor outcome

A cohort from the registry of the Canadian stroke network

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Abstract

Background

Control of hypertension is essential for the secondary prevention of stroke. Although several trials have assessed the role of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) in the acute stroke, few address their safety and efficacy in secondary prevention. The recovery process after stroke requires neurite outgrowth, which may be dependent on activation of calcium channels and NMDA receptors. We asked whether treatment of hypertension using CCBs is safe during the recovery of patients following stroke and whether it contributes to their functional outcome.

Methods

The Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network provided access to information from 1545 patients with ischemic stroke. Primary outcome variables were mortality and functional outcome, which was assessed using the Stroke Impact Scale-16.

Results

Patients discharged on CCB had a 2.5% 6-month mortality rate compared with 5.5% in those who were not on CCB at discharge (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.17−0.88). There was no change in 6-month mortality with respect to treatment with ACE-I, B-blockers or diuretics at discharge. Patients that were admitted on CCB had improved SIS-16 at 6-months if they were also discharged on CCB, as compared with patients who had their CCB discontinued (73.8 veas 66.8, p = 0.032).

Conclusions

CCB treatment at the time of discharge did not impede functional recovery, and was associated with reduced mortality and improved SIS-16 at 6 months.

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Acknowledgments & Funding

We thank the Canadian Stroke Network, Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Kevin Willis and Moira Kapral for access to the Registry cohort, as well as assistance with the design of the study and review of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth, K1H 8L6, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Dar Dowlatshahi MD, PhD

  2. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, 2075 Bayview ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada

    Jiming Fang PhD

  3. Dept. of Clinical Epidemiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s (NL), Canada

    Marc Kawaja BSc

  4. Ottawa Health Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Canadian Stroke Network, 451 Smyth, K1H 8M5, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Antoine Hakim MD, PhD, FRCP(C)

Authors
  1. Dar Dowlatshahi MD, PhD
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  2. Jiming Fang PhD
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  3. Marc Kawaja BSc
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  4. Antoine Hakim MD, PhD, FRCP(C)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dar Dowlatshahi MD, PhD.

Additional information

for the Investigators of the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network.

Received in revised form: 24 January 2006

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Dowlatshahi, D., Fang, J., Kawaja, M. et al. Use of calcium channel blockers after stroke is not associated with poor outcome. J Neurol 253, 1478–1483 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0249-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0249-1

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