The relationship between migraine and right-to-left shunt: Fact or fiction?
The prevalence of a right-to-left shunt, both cardiac and pulmonary, is high in patients with migraines, especially migraine with aura. Percutaneous closure of a right-to-left shunt seems to be associated with a pronounced decrease in the number of migraine attacks or its prevalence. In this review, the relationship between migraine and right-to-left shunting is described by highlighting the different pathophysiologic hypotheses.
Post
Martijn C
MC
Department of Cardiology, St Antonius Hospital, Koekoekslaan 1, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. m.post@antonius.net
Budts
Werner
W
D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018376:Cardiovascular Abnormalities / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence