Effectiveness and safety of mexidol forte 250 in the sequential therapy in patients with chronic ischemia

Abstract

To study of efficacy and safety of mexidol used as intravenous infusion for 14 days, followed by per os treatment with mexidol FORTE 250 for 60 days in patients with chronic brain ischemia (CHM) complicated with arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. The mexidol group included 27 patients (24 women and 3 men) with CHM I-II gr and the combination of arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis who received intravenous infusions of mexidol (500 mg once daily) within 14 days, with the subsequent per os treatment with mexidol FORTE 250 in a daily dose of 750 mg (1 tablet 3 times a day) for 60 days. The comparison group consisted of 30 patients (22 women and 8 men) with CHM I-II gr, comparable in age, nature of risk factors and expression of neurological manifestations. Patients in both groups received basic medications to treat their risk factors. Motor activity (Tinetti test), cognitive functions (MoCa test), anxiety and depression (Hamilton anxiety and depression scale), clinical condition (General Clinical Impression scale) were assessed. Inclusion of mexidol (500 mg iv infusion once a day within 14 days with the subsequent oral administration of 750 mg (1 tablet 3 times a day) for 60 days) in standard therapy of arterial hypertension with atherosclerosis and chronic brain ischemia is expedient. The results show greater clinical efficacy and sufficient safety of such combination therapy. By the end of therapy (day 74), patients in the mexidol group have a reliable improvement in motor activity, cognitive function and psychoemotional sphere, as well as a decrease in fatigue and neurological manifestations compared with the comparison group.