title: Calcium entry blocker: treatment in acute pain in cluster headache patients.
abstract: 15 chronic cluster headache patients in whom pain was induced by nitroglycerin received acute intravenous treatment with a calcium entry blocker. At the time of peak pain we noted a sudden decrease after the Verapamil injection. The mechanism by which the calcium entry blocker afforded relief is unlikely to have been vasodilatation in patients whose blood vessels had just been dilated by nitroglycerin. A more probable mechanism is blockade of the release of the pain-inducing neurotransmitters. The vasodilatation phase is not a primary factor in the onset of pain.
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011674:Pulse / Q000187:drug effects; D014653:Vascular Headaches / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium; D014700:Verapamil; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D007213:Indomethacin