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Title: 'Cluster Headache Linked to Congenital Heart Defec Post by Svenn on Dec 2nd, 2004, 5:37am 'Cluster Headache Linked to Congenital Heart Defect' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cluster headache sufferers have a higher incidence of a common heart defect than the general population, according to a recent study published in the journal Neurology. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an opening between the left and right atria of the heart that causes a right-to-left shunt of blood. The opening usually closes soon after birth, but may remain open in as many as 1 out of 5 people. In most cases, this does not cause any problems. Obstructive sleep apnea1 and migraine with aura2 have been associated with a higher prevalence of PFO, and cluster headche has been associated with sleep disordered breathing.3 Dr. Cinzia Finocchi and colleagues from the Univeristy of Genoa in Italy evaluated 40 patients with cluster headache and 40 healthy control subjects. To diagnose a shunt, the subjects underwent a transcranial Doppler with contrast medium. Right-to-left shunt was diagnosed in 17 patients (42.5%) and seven controls (17.5%). Dr. Finocchi and colleagues speculate that the presence of a right-to-left shunt "can cause a level of hypoxemia that facilitates cluster headache attacks." With PFO, blood that bypasses lungs carries less oxygen than normal, and previous reports have suggested that poorly oxygenated blood may help trigger cluster headaches. Despite the findings, Dr. Finocchi and colleagues do not advise PFO closure, since there is no evidence that it would help patients with cluster headache. They conclude that more research is needed to fully understand the association between cluster headache and PFO. References: 1. Beelke M, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea can be provocative for right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale. Sleep 2002;25:856-62. 2. Schwerzmann M, et al. Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale reduces the frequency of migraine attacks. Neurology 2004;62:1399-1401. 3. Chervin RD, et al. Sleep disordered breathing in patients with cluster headache. Neurology 2000;54:2302–2306. Source: Finocchi C, et al. Cluster headache and right-to-left shunt on contrast transcranial Doppler: A case-control study. Neurology 2004;63: 1309-1310. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this article, you might also like to see... > Cluster Headache and Migraine Result in Equally Poor Health-Related Quality of Life > The possible role of melatonin in cluster headache -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer - Please Read When reading an article containing information on a specific therapy remember that it's only one of many that will appear in the medical literature. Its findings need to be understood within the context of all the data available to the scientific and medical communities. A study's conclusions and recommendations are limited by its design and no single study is designed to answer all clinical questions or to compare a new treatment or therapy with all currently available treatments or therapies. With the health and safety of their patients as their primary concern, the medical community rarely changes well-established treatment and diagnostic approaches on the basis of a single study. New treatment strategies arise when new findings have been confirmed and validated by other research studies. This takes time. Before adopting any change that will affect your own healthcare or that of your family you should consult your primary healthcare physician. http://www.w-h-a.org/wha2/Newsite/print.asp?idContentNews=791 Svenn |
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