Related Experiment Videos
Warfarin treatment and migraine
C G Suresh1, D Neal, M O Coupe
1Department of Cardiology, Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale, UK.
Postgraduate Medical Journal
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Warfarin therapy, initially for deep vein thrombosis, unexpectedly resolved a patient's migraine symptoms. Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials confirmed warfarin's efficacy in eliminating headaches, suggesting a novel therapeutic link.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Hematology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Migraine is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent headaches.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition involving blood clots in deep veins.
Observation:
- A patient with migraine experienced complete symptom resolution while undergoing warfarin therapy for DVT.
- The frequency and severity of headaches significantly decreased during anticoagulant treatment.
Findings:
- A subsequent double-blind, placebo-controlled study confirmed that warfarin effectively abolished the patient's migraine headaches.
- This suggests a potential, previously unrecognized, therapeutic effect of warfarin on migraine.
Implications:
- Warfarin may represent a novel treatment option for refractory migraine.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanism underlying warfarin's anti-migraine effects.
- This case highlights the potential for serendipitous discoveries in pharmacotherapy.