August | 2015 | Headache NewsBlog

Migraine drug may be highly effective for ovarian cancer by reducing stress effects

By: Dr. Mauskop

24-08-2015

Propranolol was first introduced as a blood pressure drug 50 years ago and about 40 years ago it was discovered to be effective for the prevention of migraines. This is quite a remarkable drug because it is also used for rapid heart beat, heart attacks, tremor, and performance anxiety. Public speakers, musicians, and others take a small dose before performances and the drug reduces the physical stress responses such as sweating, tremulousness, weakness, and other. Blinded studies showed that musicians perform better when given a beta blocker compared to musicians who are given a placebo pill.

Since the introduction of propranolol, another two dozen beta blockers have been developed. The newer, so called selective beta blockers (they attach to only one type of stress receptor) tend to have fewer side effects than propranolol and other non-selective beta blockers. Selective beta blockers can be given to patients with well-controlled asthma, while non-selective ones can cause an asthma attack.

Recent studies have shown that chronic stress promotes the growth and spread of cancers. Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center decided to review the records of 1,425 patients who were treated for ovarian cancer at four hospitals between 2000 and 2010. Of these, 268 had been treated with a beta blocker while receiving chemotherapy for their ovarian cancer. The average survival of those who were on a beta blocker was 48 months compared to 42 months for those who were not. A more dramatic difference was found between those who were taking a non-selective beta blocker (propranolol in almost all cases): they lived 95 months – twice as long as women not on a beta blocker.

Considering these findings, if I decide to prescribe a beta blocker, I may start prescribing propranolol as the first-line drug for the prevention of migraines. And only if the patient has side effects, will I switch them to a selective beta blocker, such as atenolol or nebivolol (Bystolic). Common side effects of beta blockers are fatigue and dizziness from a drop in blood pressure and difficulty exercising because the heart rate cannot increase high enough to provide for the increase in demand for oxygen. Because regular aerobic exercise is my first recommendation for the prevention of migraines, I tend to reserve beta blockers for patients whose blood pressure is high or at the high end of normal range, whose pulse is fast, and for those who fail other preventive drugs and Botox (however, most insurers approve Botox for chronic migraines only if the patient fails 2 or 3 preventive drugs, including a beta blocker).

Headaches in pregnancy – when to worry

By: Dr. Mauskop

23-08-2015

Headaches, Migraine

New onset of headaches is always worrisome, but even more so in a pregnant woman. Neurologists at the Montefiore Headache clinic in the Bronx conducted a 5-year retrospective study of pregnant women who presented with an acute headache, were hospitalized, and received a neurologic consultation. The study was published in Neurology.

The researchers identified 140 women with a mean age of 29 years. About 56% of these women presented in the third trimester. Primary headaches was present in 65% and secondary (due to an underlying disease) was found in 35% of women. The most common primary headache disorder was migraine and it was found in 91%, while the most common secondary headache disorder present in 51% was high blood pressure.

Primary headaches included migraine without aura, seen in 37%, migraine with aura, in 24%, chronic migraine, in 6%, episodic tension-type headache, in 3%, chronic tension-type headache, in 1%, and primary stabbing headache, in 2% (this adds up to more than 65% because some had more than one type of headaches). Besides hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia and eclampsia (18%), secondary headache diagnoses included pituitary adenoma or apoplexy in 4%, infections in 2%, stroke in 3%. Pregnant women with secondary headaches were less likely to have had headaches in the past (37% in secondary vs 13% in primary) and were more likely to have seizures (12% vs 0%), elevated blood pressure (55% vs 9%), fever (8% vs 0%), and an abnormal neurologic examination (35% vs 17%). Psychiatric comorbidity (presence of depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc) and phonophobia (sensitivity to light) were less likely with secondary headache.

The authors concluded that among pregnant women receiving inpatient neurologic consultation, more than one-third have secondary headache. Doctors should be particularly vigilant in the absence of a headache history and if seizures, hypertension, or fever are present. On the other hand, specific headache features such as location of the pain, throbbing character, sensitivity to light and noise are less helpful in distinguish primary vs secondary headaches. The neurologists who conducted this review recommend low thresholds for neuroimaging (CT or MRI scan) and monitoring for preeclampsia and eclampsia. Preeclampsia and eclampsia are complications of pregnancy with elevated blood pressure, sometimes seizures, and kidney problems, which can be life-threatening and which are treated with intravenous infusions of magnesium.

Smoking increases the risk of strokes in those with migraines

By: Dr. Mauskop

12-08-2015

Brain disorders, Migraine

Migraine with aura is believed to increase the risk of strokes and possibly heart attacks, although the risk estimates vary from study to study.

A recent study demonstrated no increase in the risk of strokes in people who suffered from migraine with and without aura, unless they were active smokers. The findings were published last month in the journal Neurology. Among the 1292 participants with an average age of 68 years there were 262 with migraine. There was no relationship between migraine (with or without aura) and stroke or heart attacks during the 11 year follow up period. However, among the 198 current smokers, there was a 3-fold increased risk for stroke.

The lack of relationship between migraine with aura and stroke seen in previous studies is probably due to a relatively small sample size.

I personally have seen two young women with migraine with aura who suffered a stroke. Both of them were smokers and were taking oral contraceptives. Estrogen contraceptives (even newer ones with lower estrogen content) further increase the risk of strokes in women who have migraine with aura. Progesterone-only pill does not increase the risk of strokes. Some women with severe endometriosis, heavy menstrual blood loss, and severe PMS sometimes have to accept a slight increase in the risk of strokes and take an estrogen-based contraceptive. However, if they smoke, they must stop smoking and also try to reduce other risk factors for strokes, if they are present. These include keeping hypertension and diabetes under control, lower high cholesterol, maintain normal weight and exercise regularly.

Testosterone and headaches

By: Dr. Mauskop

07-08-2015

Chronic migraine, Cluster headaches, New treatments

Fluctuations in the female hormone estrogen have been proven to be involved in triggering menstrual and perimenopausal migraine headaches. Testosterone levels have been reported to be low in men and women with cluster headaches. Testosterone replacement therapy seems to help these patients, when other standard treatments for cluster headaches do not.

A study presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Headache Society reported on testosterone levels in men with chronic migraine headaches. A significant percentage of men with chronic migraines also have low testosterone levels. This study did not look at the effect of testosterone replacement therapy, but it is possible that it may help chronic migraine sufferers as it does those with cluster headaches. It seems prudent to check testosterone level in men with chronic migraine headaches who do not respond to standard approaches such as medications, Botox injections, magnesium, and other treatments. And if the level is low, replacement therapy should be tried.

The dangers of Ayurvedic medicine

By: Dr. Mauskop

03-08-2015

Alternative Therapies, Headache medications

Ayurvedic medicine has many healthy aspects. However, a recent story on NPR described the risks involved with the traditional Ayurvedic medicines from India. A very high percentage of Ayurvedic supplements in the category called bhasmas sold in the US contains large amounts of lead and other toxic elements. There is a lot more to Ayurvedic medicine than these supplements, so it is important to separate dangerous parts from things like healthy diet, yoga, and other.

Unfortunately, the US government does not regulate supplements, so there is always a question of safety of these products, especially those made outside the US. The one exception is products made in Germany, where supplements are as strictly regulated as drugs (please note that Petadolex, a butterbur product is made in Germany, but is not allowed for sale there). Many patients ask me about not only Indian but also Chinese herbal medicines, which are often combined with acupuncture and other treatment methods. As a rule, I recommend avoiding products made in China or India, where quality controls are very poor. Instead, you should buy products made by major US manufacturers, although they do not make many traditional Chinese and Indian products. However, you cannot always count on products sold in major US store chains either – recently, herbal products sold at Walgreens, WalMart, Target and GNC were found to have no active ingredients. Thankfully, there were no toxic ingredients in those products.

The largest mass poisoning with a Chinese herbal dietary weight loss product occurred in Europe where 18 patients developed kidney failure and urinary cancer.

In summary, no matter how promising a Chinese or an Indian herbal product may sound, it is not worth the risk.

Headaches are common in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (lax ligaments, loose joints, etc)

By: Dr. Mauskop

02-08-2015

Headaches, Migraine, Science of Migraine

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that are notable for excessive joint mobility with some people also having lax or stretchy skin, at times heart problems, and other symptoms. Headaches appear to be also very common.

We see Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in many of our migraine patients and most of our headache specialist colleagues also notice this association. However, there are very few studies that confirm this observation. One such study was recently presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American Headache Society in Washington, DC. The research was performed at a cardiology clinic in Texas. They looked at the records of 139 patients who were referred to this clinic in a period of one year. Of these 139 patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, 90% were women and the average age was 32. Out of 139 patients, 70% suffered from headaches – 32% had tension-type, 26% had migraines, 9% had chronic migraines and 2% had sinus headaches. These numbers are much higher than what is seen in the general population, confirming clinical observations by headache specialists.

One form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome affects not only joints and ligaments, but also the heart. So, when see a migraine patients who also appears to have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, we also ask about symptoms related to the heart and if they are present refer such patients to a cardiologist.

Another presentation at the same meeting described a 23-year-old woman with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome who suddenly developed headaches that would worsen on standing up and improve on lying down. This is typical of headaches due to low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, which was confirmed by a spinal tap. The most common causes of low CSF pressure are a leak caused by a spinal tap done to diagnose a neurological disease or caused by a complication of epidural anesthesia. Spontaneous unprovoked leaks have also been reported. In this patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome the leak probably occurred because of the lax ligaments that surround the spinal canal and contain the CSF. The report describes the most accurate test to document such leaks, which is an MRI myelogram.

The treatment of CSF leaks begins with a blood patch procedure, but if it is ineffective, surgery is sometimes done to repair the leak. A recent report suggested that Botox could be effective for low spinal fluid pressure headaches.