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Cardiac cephalgia: a diagnostic headache
A Shankar1, C L M Allan2, D Smyth3
1Department of General Medicine, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Insights
Exertional headaches can signal heart problems. A patient
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Exertional headaches are often overlooked as potential cardiac symptoms.
- Coronary artery disease can manifest atypically.
Observation:
- A 73-year-old man experienced exertional headaches for six months.
- An exercise tolerance test revealed ischemic changes coinciding with headache severity.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with cardiac cephalgia.
- Surgical intervention (coronary artery bypass surgery) resolved the headaches.
Implications:
- Cardiac cephalgia is a rare but significant cause of exertional headaches.
- Clinicians should consider cardiac etiologies in patients with exertional headaches, even without chest pain.
Abstract:
A 73-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of exertional headaches. Exercise tolerance test demonstrated progressive ischaemic changes concomitant with worsening headache. Cardiac cephalgia was diagnosed and his symptoms resolved after coronary artery bypass surgery. Cardiac cephalgia may occasionally present as exertional headache without chest symptoms.
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