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Sumatriptan relieves migrainelike headaches associated with carbon monoxide exposure
R B Lipton1, C Mazer, L C Newman
1Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
Headache
|June 1, 1997
Abstract:
We report a 58-year-old woman with long-standing migraine who developed a pattern of weekend headaches which occurred only while staying at her Connecticut vacation home. The headaches promptly responded to sumatriptan. Investigation revealed a high carbon monoxide level in her home due to a defective furnace. Replacing the furnace eliminated the headaches. This case highlights the importance of searching for secondary causes of headache even in patients responsive to sumatriptan. It also suggests that carbon monoxide may trigger headaches mediated by trigeminovascular inflammation.