Isoproterenol treatment of visual symptoms in migraine

Six patients with transient or permanent visual loss associated with migraine are presented. In 3 patients with monocular and one patient with binocular episodes of transient visual loss subsequent visual episodes were relieved by prompt inhalation of isoproterenol. The authors review the possible mechanisms of action of isoproterenol in migraine and present evidence to support the prophylactic use of isoproterenol to prevent transient and possible persistent visual loss in patients with migraine.