Understanding the Pearls and Pitfalls of Nimodipine in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Opportunities to Improve Patient Outcomes

This activity includes medication safety credit.

Program Description

Hemorrhagic stroke, particularly aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), represents a challenge in neurocritical care, with mortality rates often exceeding 30%. Patients experiencing aSAH frequently have severe, long-term disability due to complications of cerebral vasospasm or delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). The standard of care intervention to improve neurological outcomes after aSAH is treatment with nimodipine. While nimodipine remains a cornerstone of aSAH management, current oral formulations present important challenges in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Frequent dosing intervals, interruptions due to procedures, and difficulties with enteral administration can increase nursing workload and contribute to medication administration errors, resulting in inconsistent drug exposure and safety risks. Critical care pharmacists are uniquely positioned to address these challenges by leading efforts to optimize dosing strategies, streamline administration workflows, and implement medication safety protocols. This webinar provides essential information to mitigate medication errors, reduce nursing burden, and support the safe integration of novel nimodipine formulations designed to ensure more consistent delivery and therapeutic exposure. The pharmacist’s role in standardizing nimodipine protocols, enhancing medication safety, and ensuring timely interventions to prevent adverse neurological outcomes will also be explored.

Target audience: Health-system pharmacists

Type of activity: Application
Release date: December 4, 2025
Expiration date: February 4, 2026

Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour

Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate

Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Identify key pathophysiologic processes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), with a focus on cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia
• Express the limitations of the traditional enteral nimodipine formulations and how the new formulations may address these challenges
• Employ evidence-based monitoring strategies to assess nimodipine efficacy and identify potential complications in critically ill patients with aSAH

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hour (0.10 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number [UAN]. The activity is available for CE credit through February 4, 2026.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, review the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

Faculty

Andrew J. Webb, PharmD, BCCCP, has the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:
Consultant: Grace Therapeutics

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Rose Buszka, PharmD, BCPS, CHCP; Macara Desai; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. 

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

At least one anonymous peer reviewer was used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer

CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

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