Nimodipine controlled the escalation of the morphine dose in 9 patients (65%), and placebo in 4 (28%), the difference being statistically significant (P=0.03). The dose of morphine was reduced from 313±52 to 174±33 mg/day (P<0.001) in the nimodipine group, and from 254±26 to 218±19 mg/day (not significant) in the placebo group.