The effect of intravenous verapamil on cerebral hemodynamics in a migraine patient with hemiplegia.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of intravenous verapamil in a migraine patient with hemiplegia to reverse the symptomatology and hemodynamics of the middle cerebral artery as determined by transcranial Doppler.


METHODS
A 31-year-old white woman was admitted with an acute exacerbation of migraine with hemiplegia. A transcranial Doppler showed an increased flow velocity through the middle cerebral artery consistent with a migrainous process. The patient was treated with verapamil 5 mg iv and the hemiplegia gradually resolved. A transcranial Doppler indicated that the flow velocity through the middle cerebral artery was decreased after verapamil administration, indicating reversal of the vasospasm.


CONCLUSIONS
Transcranial Doppler has not been previously used to determine the effect of intravenous verapamil on the migrainous process. Intravenous verapamil reversed the altered hemodynamics of the middle cerebral artery as determined by transcranial Doppler. This finding correlated with the gradual resolution of hemiplegia. Whether both subjective and objective findings in this patient can be attributed to the reversal of the cerebral artery hemodynamics is not known.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous verapamil appears to reverse the vasospasm that may be associated with a migrainous process. Whether this effect is solely responsible for clinical improvement is not known. Verapamil may be a consideration for the treatment of intractable migraine, especially when there is evidence of spasm of the major cerebral arteries.
Ng
T M
TM
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
Kohli
A
A
Fagan
S C
SC
Mohamed
A E
AE
Geiszt
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014700:Verapamil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014700:Verapamil