Migraine responsive to warfarin: an update on anticoagulant possible role in migraine prophylaxis.

Abstract

We report the case of a patient suffering from migraine with and without aura who had a complete remission of both during warfarin treatment for pulmonary embolism; the attacks reappeared promptly during two treatment withdrawals. We highlight warfarin as prophylactic drug in migraine prophylaxis and discuss about new, safer and more specific anticoagulants that could be used in migraine treatment. Their use could also clarify literature's conflicting data about anticoagulants' efficacy in migraine prophylaxis and clear if their efficacy in migraine treatment could be related aspecifically to anticoagulation's effect or to a particular mechanism in the coagulation cascade.

• Authors: F Maggioni, M Bruno, F Mainardi, C Lisotto, G Zanchin
• Journal: Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (Neurol Sci) Vol. 33 Issue 6 Pg. 1447-9 (Dec 2012) ISSN: 1590-3478 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 22222938 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticoagulants
• Warfarin

Topics

• Adult
• Anticoagulants (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Humans
• Migraine Disorders (complications, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Pulmonary Embolism (complications, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Warfarin (administration & dosage)