title: Antimigraine drugs and cranial arteriovenous shunting in the cat.
abstract: The effects of three antimigraine drugs--ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, and methysergide--on the distribution of flow throughout the cephalic circulation of the cat were studied, using microspheres of a suitable size to separate capillary flow from flow through the arteriovenous anastomoses. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine significantly decreased the fraction of carotid blood flow shunted through the arteriovenous anastomoses, a mode of action that reemphasizes the need for further clinical studies on the involvement of arteriovenous anastomoses in the pathophysiology of migraine headaches.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D002415:Cats; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004087:Dihydroergotamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004878:Ergotamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012886:Skull / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D004087:Dihydroergotamine; D004878:Ergotamine; D010100:Oxygen