Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
        
(Message started by: RACH on May 13^th, 2005, 8:24pm)

Title: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by RACH on May 13^th, 2005, 8:24pm

OK, its rach again, and i know you guys are not too happy with me because of my last post. I am sooo sorry! I need your help!! I admitted paul to hospital this afternoon at the recommendation of his new neuro, who seemed very knowledgeable. He asked all the right questions! He passed my test, and that is not very easy when i go in with my 3 ring binder full of my ch research and all the info i have gathered here. Anyway they were going to do 250 mg of pred & DHE. Before they started the DHE (thank god), they did an ekg and found out that he had had a heart attack!!!!!!!!!!!!! He had a stress test in oct & passed with flying colors!! But.......his brother died at 41 and mom at 72, both with massive heart attacks. His reg dr. & results from cardiologist have always said that he does not have heart disease!! A little high chol & he takes lipitor, now down to 120. Could this terrible cycle have caused him to have one!!!!!!!! Please help soon, i am freeking out!!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by nani on May 13^th, 2005, 8:27pm

Was he using Imitrex or one of the other triptan drugs? They can be VERY hard on the heart. I'm hoping he gets some HA relief soon. I doubt there's a direct correlation between the pain and the heart attack. Sending prayers and vibes to all of you, nani

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by Kris_in_SJ on May 13^th, 2005, 8:40pm

Ditto to Nani. I'm not sure what you meant about your "other post" but I'm sure you didn't mean to offend.

If your honey was taking Tryptans - especially if he was taking more than the recommended 12mg/day - it's possible he could have had a cardiac event. That Trex is wonderful, but is hard on the cardiovascular system.

It's doubtful the pain from clusters caused a heart attack. If that were the case, we'd all be suffering from heart failure.

Best wishes for PFDAN very soon!

Kris

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by firebrix on May 14^th, 2005, 1:07am

Our thoughts are right there with you Rach. Well done for getting him to the hospital!

Of course you're freaking out. I would too! Remember to take long, deep breaths at regular intervals and try to get someone there - a friend or relative - to sit with you and to help and support you both.

Please let us know how you both get on.

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by BikerBob on May 14^th, 2005, 3:37am

I don't see how CH itself could cause a heart attack unless the CH pain and anxiety raised his blood pressure to the point where it ruptured plaque in an artery. Was he using any triptans or other vasoconstrictors ?

I am not a doctor but I have a theory based on everything I believe about CH, cardiology and neurology:

Anyone using triptans should also be using Plavix 75mg/day plus baby Aspirin 81mg/day because:

a) Although it once was felt that most heart attacks were caused from the slow closure of an artery, say from 90 or 95% to 100%, it is now clear that this process can occur in even minor blockages where there is rupture of the plaque. This in turn causes blood clotting within the artery, blocking the flow of blood. The heart muscle which is injured in this way can cause irregular rhythms which can be fatal, even when there is enough muscle left to pump plenty of blood.

b) Strokes are most commonly caused by slow closure of a carotid artery followed by a quick rupture of plaque. This rupture of plaque causes blood clotting within the artery, blocking the flow of blood.

c) Triptans are powerful vasoconstrictors that quickly constrict arteries and blood vessels. This rapid constriction can cause a rupture of plaque, which in turn causes blood clotting within the artery or blood vessel.

d) Plavix 75mg plus baby Aspirin 81mg prevent blood platelets from sticking together which greatly reduces the clotting of blood.

e) I don't think that Plavix and Aspirin have any negative effects on CH or any adverse reactions with CH medications.

f) I think the only risk of taking Plavix and Aspirin is excessive bleeding during an injury or surgery due to inadequate clotting of blood.

Does anyone have opinions on this ?

Bob

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by sandie99 on May 14^th, 2005, 5:19am

Rach,
you and your husband are in my prayers... [smiley=hug.gif]

Relax and calm down if you can. You're both in my thoughts. I wish things will turn out for the best!

Best wishes,
Sandie

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by Bob_Johnson on May 14^th, 2005, 8:04am

It is not uncommon to have a "silent" heart attack, that is, one which does not come with the usual symptoms. The damage done to the heart may be revealed later with an EKG.

The safety reports on the triptans have been pretty consistent: No serious threat--in the absence of clinical evidence of heart disease or other signs which have been identified as a problem with triptans.

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by nani on May 14^th, 2005, 9:34am

on 05/14/05 at 08:04:50, Bob_Johnson wrote:

The safety reports on the triptans have been pretty consistent: No serious threat--in the absence of clinical evidence of heart disease or other signs which have been identified as a problem with triptans.

Really, Bob? My neuro doesn't want me to use triptans bases only on my risk of heart disease. I have a family history of heart disease, I have high blood pressure, am a smoker and had a ruptured brain aneurysm.

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by floridian on May 14^th, 2005, 11:29am

Sleep apnea (which 50-80% of clusterheads have) can cause a heart attack, even when other factors (cholesterol, triglycerides, etc) are normal. The nervous system gets out of whack from clusters, and that can also affect the heart - we have low HRV (heart rate variability), which is a predictor of certain heart problems.

http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=HRV

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by SusieWong on May 14^th, 2005, 12:20pm

Hi Rach,

Try not to panic. Paul needs you right now and if you crumble, well........

David had a heart attack when he was 40, it came completely out of the blue and frightened the life out of me. Eleven years on, he has had no recurrence. He still smokes and even uses Verapamil and Imitrex injrctions. If Paul was unaware of his heart attack, it was probably a mild one and he can take it as a warning.

Be strong love,

SusieWongx

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by Karla on May 14^th, 2005, 3:15pm

Besides the imitrix pottentialy being bad for the heart I know that the high pain from the ch causes my blood pressure to rise to very high levels. Now I am preventing my ch from occuring so my heart is getting a good rest from bp and imitrix.

Title: Re: CH & HEART ATTACKS????????
Post by thomas on May 15^th, 2005, 8:21pm

on 05/14/05 at 03:37:00, BikerBob wrote:

I don't see how CH itself could cause a heart attack unless the CH pain and anxiety raised his blood pressure to the point where it ruptured plaque in an artery.

There are 5htp receptors in the brain, which the triptans affect, there are also receptors in the heart, so I can accept that this condition does lend itself to having cardiac episodes as well. Rach, your man should steer clear of triptans now, find a good preventive like melatonin or something else that has very few cardiac side effects. As far as abortives go, O2 should be his first, second and third choice. The heart is not something we can take for granted. Hope he is doing better today.