Chronic paroxysmal headache: two cases with cerebrovascular disease

Paroxysmal headaches often occur in benign headache disorders such as episodic cluster headache, chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) and episodic paroxysmal hemicrania. We report 2 patients with paroxysmal headaches occurring in association with cerebrovascular disease. The first patient had paroxysmal headaches from an arteriovenous malformation which resolved following embolization. In the second patient, headache followed a cerebral infarction and responded to treatment with indomethacin. We suggest that vascular disease may cause paroxysmal headaches resembling CPH. Patients with an atypical presentation of CPH warrant a neuroimaging procedure.