BENIGN NOCTURNAL LEG CRAMPS - CURRENT CONTROVERSIES OVER USE OF QUININE

Benign nocturnal leg cramps are a relatively common and bothersome com plaint, particularly among the elderly. Careful history taking and phy sical examination can exclude the majority of disorders in the differe ntial diagnosis. Mechanical treatment of an acute muscle cramp involve s stretching of the affected muscle. Prophylaxis includes both mechani cal and pharmacologic measures. The efficacy of quinine sulfate has be en supported in the majority of well-designed studies, but its use is controversial, and the FDA has banned over-the-counter quinine-based p roducts used for leg cramps. Potentially fatal hypersensitivity reacti ons and thrombocytopenia can occur with use of quinine.