TY - JOUR T1 - Muscle cramps: quinine derivatives likely to be effective but not recommended for routine use due to toxicity; vitamin B complex, naftidrofuryl and calcium channel blockers possibly effective JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 114 LP - 115 DO - 10.1136/ebm1090 VL - 15 IS - 4 AU - Gavin Young Y1 - 2010/08/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/15/4/114.abstract N2 - Commentary on: Katzberg HD, Khan AH, So YT. Assessment: symptomatic treatment for muscle cramps (an evidence-based review): report of the therapeutics and technology assessment subcommittee of the American academy of neurology. Neurology 2010;74:691–6.OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text This paper reviews probably all the available reliable studies on treatment of muscle cramps. The authors limit themselves to idiopathic muscle cramps. The cause of such cramps is by definition unknown. Do not read this review to learn how to treat cramps associated with other conditions including pregnancy. The majority of people of retirement age and beyond will report frequent cramps, and the majority of sufferers will experience cramps more than once a week. Usually these occur through the night and disturb the sleep. Sometimes a person will experience multiple episodes throughout the night. Though the authors did not carry out a hand search of journals, they do appear to have done a thorough job and found 563 papers. In the end, only 24 matched the inclusion criteria. This in itself is disappointing but worse still, there were only two high quality studies of the most commonly used drug, quinine (one of these exclude those over 70). … ER -