Ann Neurol. 2010 May;67(5):600-6.
L-type calcium channel blockers and Parkinson disease in Denmark.

Ritz B, Rhodes SL, Qian L, Schernhammer E, Olsen JH, Friis S.

Department of Epidemiology, University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA. britz@ucla.edu
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate L-type calcium channel blockers of the dihydropyridine class for association with Parkinson disease (PD), because some of these drugs traverse the blood-brain barrier, are potentially neuroprotective, and have previously been evaluated for impact on PD risk.

METHODS: We identified 1,931 patients with a first-time diagnosis for PD between 2001 and 2006 as reported in the Danish national hospital/outpatient database and density matched them by birth year and sex to 9,651 controls from the population register. The index date for cases and their corresponding controls was advanced to the date of first recorded prescription for anti-Parkinson drugs, if prior to first PD diagnosis in the hospital records. Prescriptions were determined from the national pharmacy database. In our primary analyses, we excluded all calcium channel blocker prescriptions 2 years before index date/PD diagnosis.

RESULTS: Employing logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, diagnosis of chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder, and Charlson comorbidity score, we found that subjects prescribed dihydropyridines (excludes amlodipine) between 1995 and 2 years prior to the index date were less likely to develop PD (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.97); this 27% risk reduction did not differ with length or intensity of use. Risk estimates were close to null for the peripherally acting drug amlodipine and for other antihypertensive medications.

INTERPRETATION: Our data suggest a potential neuroprotective role for centrally acting L-type calcium channel blockers of the dihydropyridine class in PD that should be further investigated in studies that can distinguish between types of L-type channel blockers.

PMID: 20437557 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]PMCID: PMC2917467 [Available on 2011/5/1]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms, Substances, Gr

I'm not sure if Isradapine (a calcium channel blocker) is one of those L-type blockers, but reading of the trials about to start, I got my doc to px Isradapine instead of the usual blood pressure pill.
Unfortunately after 3 weeks usage I found that I ended up unable to think clearly, losing my facility to speak concisely (the wrong words popping out of my mouth) and transposing numbers (I'm an Accountant).
I got so worried I stopped taking them, but hopefully others won't suffer the same problem

[OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate L-type calcium channel blockers of the dihydropyridine class for association with Parkinson disease (PD), because some of these drugs traverse the blood-brain barrier, are potentially neuroprotective, and have previously been evaluated for impact on PD risk.


I did notice when initially googling it, that it was used to treat alcohol dependency, but I didn't stop drinking whilst taking it

I've been taking it for hypertension for nearly 3 years now. It works for my hypertension - but does it work for PD? I have no idea. People tell me they believe my progression is slow. I really can't say.

But what I know is that I am in this for the ong haul. What if this works but it takes 5-7-10 years for Isradipine to work? Our clinical trials run for such a short time that i do wonder if some new or previously studied treatments might have shown efficacy if they only had had more time.

I am in SPECT B-CIT trials and I have asked the lead researcher at the IND to share copies of my brain scans with the Isradipine researchers. My brain scans might be good for anecdotal evidence if nothing else.

Jean

Rats! It sounds like the amlodipine I've been taking is not among the calcium channel blockers that may work. Unfortunately, Kaiser has amlodipine but apparently not isradipine, though it was my understanding that they were chemically almost identical. Oh well, I guess all my efforts to get at least some type of cc blocker out of them has been for naught (though at least it worked great for my high blood pressure).