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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
10:39

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache

Published on: June 2, 2014

Interactions between migraine and stroke

Jesse Weinberger1

  • 1Department of Neurology, Box 1052, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1 Gustave Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA. jesse.weinberger@mssm.edu.

Current Treatment Options in Neurology
|October 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Migraine stroke requires ruling out other causes. Patent foramen ovale is a risk factor for migraine and stroke, necessitating evaluation. Migrainous stroke diagnosis and treatment involve specific pharmacological and prophylactic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology

Background:

  • Migraine and stroke share risk factors, including patent foramen ovale.
  • Differentiating migraine-induced stroke from other stroke etiologies is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline diagnostic criteria for migrainous stroke.
  • To discuss management strategies for patients experiencing stroke with a history of migraine.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on migraine, stroke, and patent foramen ovale.
  • Clinical case considerations for diagnosis and treatment.

Main Results:

  • Migrainous stroke diagnosis requires excluding other stroke causes and identifying persistent neurological deficits consistent with aura.
  • Patent foramen ovale should be investigated using transesophageal echocardiography.
  • Intravenous verapamil or magnesium sulfate can manage acute symptoms in hemiplegic migraine.
  • Prophylactic oral verapamil is recommended for familial hemiplegic migraine.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate diagnosis of migrainous stroke is essential.
  • Patent foramen ovale closure is a potential, though controversial, preventative measure.
  • Further randomized trials are needed to clarify the role of patent foramen ovale closure.

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