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Interventional Cardiology (Expert Forum)
connection between cardiac abnormalities and headache disorders
Answered by
Darcy Green Conaway, MD - General Cardiology, Echocardiology
Truman Medical Center
Questions in the Interventional Cardiology forum are answered by medical professionals affiliated with the Truman Medical Center. Topics covered include acute coronary syndrome, angina , atrial fibrillation , cardiac catheterization , cardiomyopathy , drug abuse & cardiac disease, echocardiography , heart failure , hypertension & heart disease , lipid management , minorities and heart disease, peripheral vascular disease prevention, valvular heart disease , women’s heart health, and the warning signs of a heart attack.
connection between cardiac abnormalities and headache disorders
by no_sweat, Apr 19, 2008 02:36PM
I know of the PFO - headache connection.
My question is about my symptoms. For 3 years I've had a serious headache disorder. 24/7 dull headache, with frequent migraine like headache in the mornings espeically. I had an extensive neuro workup, negative. Now recently I've begun having atypical chest pain, fatigue, heart palps which are aggrivated by exercise during and after, constant nausea, episodes of breathlessness, eratic pulse.
Often when I first stand up, my heart beats very hard and pushes the blood into my head very hard making the same exact head pain syndome temporarily worse.
I have had a stress test and echo and chest xray...and of course labs which have all been normal. However, I wonder sometimes, is there another known connection between the heart or vascular system and headaches? This seems too much of a coincidence to be randomly occuring illnesses in a 30 yr old man with unremarkable med history.
My question is about my symptoms. For 3 years I've had a serious headache disorder. 24/7 dull headache, with frequent migraine like headache in the mornings espeically. I had an extensive neuro workup, negative. Now recently I've begun having atypical chest pain, fatigue, heart palps which are aggrivated by exercise during and after, constant nausea, episodes of breathlessness, eratic pulse.
Often when I first stand up, my heart beats very hard and pushes the blood into my head very hard making the same exact head pain syndome temporarily worse.
I have had a stress test and echo and chest xray...and of course labs which have all been normal. However, I wonder sometimes, is there another known connection between the heart or vascular system and headaches? This seems too much of a coincidence to be randomly occuring illnesses in a 30 yr old man with unremarkable med history.
Doctor's Answer
by Darcy Green Conaway, MD, Apr 20, 2008 10:31PM
, Apr 20, 2008 10:31PM
I am not yet convinced about the data regarding PFO and migraines. It seems to me that you should discuss your headaches with a neurologist to see if they have any other options
If you have had an echo and it was normal then it is very unlikely that you have a clinically significant PFO. Point of fact- about 30% of the population has a PFO.
If you have had an echo and it was normal then it is very unlikely that you have a clinically significant PFO. Point of fact- about 30% of the population has a PFO.
Member Comments (2)
by cabkrun, Apr 21, 2008 05:19PM
To: no_sweat
I don't know if this will help, but my cardio surgeon told me that recently there was a large study done regarding PFO and migraine, and there was found to be no link. He indicated that device closure of PFO in this study did not prove to have an impact on migraines. I agree with Dr. Conaway, and would be very careful about closing the hole unless you have had other problems. I'm not a doctor, but both my surgeon and neurologist feel the same way.
