Vertebral artery dissection onset mimics migraine with aura in a graphic designer.

Abstract

Headache is the most common symptom in patients with cervical artery dissection. This symptom, however, rarely occurs in isolation, and more commonly is associated with other neurological symptoms and signs. Visual symptoms associated with vertebral artery dissection (VD) have also been observed, but do not typically mimic the migraine aura. Here, we report a young patient who presented VD, embolic ischemic lesions, and visual symptoms with the features of aura, followed by migraine headache. The suggestion of VD dissection should be kept in mind in those cases complaining of the first attack of headache that mimics migraine with aura. In these cases, an extensive neuroimaging study is advisable.

• Authors: Nicola Morelli, Michelangelo Mancuso, Sara Gori, Maria Rosaria Maluccio, Gianfranco Cafforio, Alberto Chiti, Giovanni Orlandi, Enrico Ceretti, Antonio Tartaglione, Luigi Murri
• Journal: Headache (Headache) Vol. 48 Issue 4 Pg. 621-4 (Apr 2008) ISSN: 0017-8748 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18377386 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticoagulants
• Heparin
• Aspirin

Topics

• Anticoagulants (therapeutic use)
• Aspirin (therapeutic use)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Heparin (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Angiography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Migraine with Aura (etiology, physiopathology)
• Vertebral Artery Dissection (complications, drug therapy, physiopathology)