title: Tongue necrosis provoked by ergotamine tartrate and disclosing a giant cell arteritis.
abstract: A case of tongue necrosis induced by ergotamine tartrate is reported in a patient who was suffering from an unknown giant cell arteritis (GCA). The role of ergotamine in provoking tongue necrosis in temporal arteritis has only infrequently been considered. The hypothesis concerning ergotamine-induced vasospasm potentially being able to trigger a tongue necrosis in GCA is supported by the present case. This unusual complication warns us against uncritical prescription of this drug for elderly people suffering from migraine without considering GCA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology-Allergology-Photobiology. St-Eloi Hospital, University of Montpellier, 2, avenue Bertin-Sans, 34295 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Stoebner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaspard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meynadier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meunier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004878:Ergotamine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009336:Necrosis; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004878:Ergotamine