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Biomedical subjects

Stephen D Silberstein

Publications and source records attributed to Stephen D Silberstein.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The prevalence of migraine in neurologists.

To assess the prevalence of migraine among neurologists and neurologist headache specialists, the authors performed a survey of neurologists who attended a headache review course. The 1-year and lifetime prevalences of migraine in the 220 respondents were as follows: male neurologists, 34.7%, 46.6%; male headache specialists, 59.3%, 71.9%; female neurologists, 58.1%, 62.8%; and female headache specialists, 74.1%, 81.5%. Migraine is much more prevalent among neurologists than in the general population.

Adult↗

Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine: history, pharmacology, and efficacy.

Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine share structural similarities with the adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic neurotransmitters. As a result, they have wide-ranging effects on the physiologic processes that they mediate. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine are highly potent at the 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D antimigraine receptors and, as a consequence, the plasma concentrations that are necessary to produce the appropriate therapeutic and physiologic effects are very low. The broad spectrum of activity at other monoamine receptors is responsible for their side effect profile (dysphoria, nausea, emesis, unnecessary vascular effects). Both ergotamine and dihydroergotamine have sustained vasoconstrictor actions. In acute migraine treatment, their mechanisms of action involve constricting the pain-producing intracranial extracerebral blood vessels at the 5-HT1B receptors and inhibiting the trigeminal neurotransmission at the peripheral and central 5-HT1D receptors. The scientific evidence for efficacy is stronger for dihydroergotamine than for ergotamine. Their wide use is based on long-term experience.

Animals↗

Migraine preventive medication reduces resource utilization.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if long-term resource utilization is reduced by adding a preventive medication to a migraine management regimen that already includes acute medication. BACKGROUND: In 2000, new evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of migraine were released by the US Headache Consortium and the American Academy of Neurology. Although these guidelines emphasize the role of preventive medication in achieving significant clinical improvement, little yet is known concerning the impact of such management on medical and pharmaceutical resources. Methods.-Resource utilization information in a large claims database was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Adding a preventive medication to migraine management reduced the use of other migraine medications, as well as visits to physician offices and emergency departments. In addition, both acute and preventive medications were associated with lower utilization of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans. CONCLUSION: Migraine preventive drug therapy is effective in reducing resource consumption when added to therapy consisting only of an acute medication.

Amitriptyline↗

The evolving management of migraine.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review recent advances in acute and preventive migraine treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: The number of migraine drugs continues to expand, allowing for more flexible and tolerable treatment plans. Two new triptans, frovatriptan and eletriptan, and a nasal formulation of zolmitriptan have been recently developed. Eletriptan is effective for acute migraine treatment and may have some pharmacologic and clinical advantages. Frovatriptan has a longer half-life and lower headache recurrence rates compared with other triptans. It may be useful for patients who have prolonged attacks and high headache recurrence rate. Zolmitriptan nasal spray has a rapid onset of action and high efficacy. It should be considered when patients have rapid-onset attacks, especially when associated with severe nausea or vomiting. The butyrophenone neuroleptic droperidol is very effective in aborting acute migraine attacks. Central nervous system side effects are common, however, and the ECG should be monitored. Botulinum toxin type A shows promise as a safe, tolerable and effective drug for migraine prevention, with the unique advantages of almost no systemic adverse events and a long interval between treatments. The anticonvulsant topiramate is effective for migraine prevention. Cognitive side effects are of less concern with the lower doses needed for migraine. The angiotensin converting enzyme receptor blocker candesartan appears to be effective and highly tolerable in the prevention of migraine, but needs to be further evaluated. SUMMARY: New drugs expand the spectrum of migraine treatment both for the acute attack and for prevention.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗

Migraine and autonomic nervous system function: a population-based, case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: This study determines if measures of the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) differ in a population study of 80 migraine cases vs 85 controls matched for age, race, and sex. BACKGROUND: The authors sought to confirm clinic-based studies suggesting that migraine is associated with abnormal ANS function. METHODS: Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, Valsalva maneuver, heart rate variability (pulse rate [RR] variation) during deep breathing, and cardiovascular reactivity were measured during headache-free intervals. Migraineurs were subdivided into those with (n = 28) and without (n = 52) disabling headaches. RESULTS: Resting diastolic, but not systolic, blood pressure was elevated in disabled (73.2 mm) compared with nondisabled cases (71.6 mm; p < 0.10) and controls (69.8 mm; p < 0.096). RR variation also was significantly different among the three groups. Disabled migraine cases (1.19) had significantly lower RR variation compared with nondisabled migraine cases (1.26; p < 0.001) and controls (1.26; p < 0.001). The Valsalva ratio and mean circular resultant were lower in disabled cases compared with other migraine cases and with controls, but the differences were not statistically significant. No differences were found between the three groups when comparing blood pressure response to a psychological stressor. CONCLUSIONS: Migraineurs with disabling attacks may be prone to ANS hypofunction. These findings may suggest that ANS dysfunction either may be a risk factor for migraine headaches or be a consequence of frequent disabling attacks. Moreover, ANS dysfunction and migraine may share a common neural substrate.

Adult↗

Hemicrania continua.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Drug overuse and rebound headache.

The overuse of acute medications in patients who are headache-prone poses a great challenge to headache management. Medication overuse-induced headache represents one of the most common iatrogenic disorders. It is the reason that most patients visit headache subspecialty clinics worldwide and often is the cause of an intractable or worsening headache in primary headache sufferers. The recent development of acute headache medications, especially the triptans, has provided increased migraine relief; however, the incidence of triptan-overuse headache has also increased. Awareness of medication overuse-induced headache and familiarity with the diagnosis and the treatment of this disorder are important to physicians who treat patients with headache.

Headache Disorders↗

Hemiplegic cluster.

We report four cases of a new variant of cluster headache associated with hemiparesis. Clinical similarities with hemiplegic migraine suggest that hemiplegic cluster, too, may be a channelopathy. One of our patients had a family history suggestive of an autosomal dominant inheritance.

Adult↗

Olanzapine in the treatment of refractory migraine and chronic daily headache.

BACKGROUND: Olanzapine, a thienobenzodiazepine, is a new "atypical" antipsychotic drug. Olanzapine's pharmacologic properties suggest it would be effective for headaches, and its propensity for inducing acute extrapyramidal reactions or tardive dyskinesia is relatively low. We thus decided to assess the value of olanzapine in the treatment of chronic refractory headache. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 50 patients with refractory headache who were treated with olanzapine for at least 3 months. All previously had failed treatment with at least four preventative medications. The daily dose of olanzapine varied from 2.5 to 35 mg; most patients (n = 19) received 5 mg or 10 mg (n = 17) a day. RESULTS: Treatment resulted in a statistically significant decrease in headache days relative to baseline, from 27.5 +/- 4.9 before treatment to 21.1+/-10.7 after treatment (P <.001, Student t test). The difference in headache severity (0 to 10 scale) before treatment (8.7+/-1.6) and after treatment (2.2 +/- 2.1) was also statistically significant (P <.001). CONCLUSION: Olanzapine may be effective for patients with refractory headache, including those who have failed a number of other prophylactic agents. Olanzapine should receive particular consideration for patients with refractory headache who have mania, bipolar disorder, or psychotic depression or whose headaches previously responded to other neuroleptic medications.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

Hemicrania continua responds to cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Hemicrania continua is a primary headache disorder defined by its absolute responsiveness to indomethacin. We report the treatment response to two cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, celecoxib and rofecoxib, in a series of patients with hemicrania continua. METHODS: Fourteen patients were treated, 9 with rofecoxib and 5 with celecoxib. RESULTS: Three patients in each group had a complete response to treatment. CONCLUSION: The cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors may represent an alternative to indomethacin in the treatment of hemicrania continua. Their mechanism of action for this potential indication is unknown.

Celecoxib↗

Further evaluation of rizatriptan in menstrual migraine: retrospective analysis of long-term data.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term efficacy of oral rizatriptan 10-mg wafers in the treatment of menstrual migraine attacks. METHODS: Data from an extension study where patients with migraine used rizatriptan 10 mg to treat moderate or severe migraine attacks occurring over periods of up to 6 months were included in a retrospective analysis. Patients used a diary card to record details of each migraine attack and onset of menstruation. Attacks in women were classified as menstrual or nonmenstrual according to 3 time windows relative to onset of menstruation (day 0): -3 to +3 days (7-day window), -2 to + 2 days (5-day window), and 0 to +1 days (2-day window). The analysis looked at the efficacy of rizatriptan 10 mg by menstrual category of attack for each definition on three measures: pain relief at 2 hours (reduction of pain to mild or none), pain free at 2 hours, 24-hours sustained pain free (pain free at 2 hours with no headache recurrence and no use of additional medications from 2 to 24 hours). RESULTS: Ninety-five women used rizatriptan 10 mg to treat a total of 1,839 attacks. The percentage of menstrual attacks was 30% for the -3 to +3 days definition, 23% for the -2 to +2 days definition, and 11% for the 0 to +1 days definition. Rizatriptan 10 mg was equally effective in menstrual and nonmenstrual migraine attacks regardless of the definition used. For example, using the -3 to +3 days definition, 78% of menstrual migraine attacks were relieved at 2 hours after dosing compared with 78% of nonmenstrual attacks. Pain relief rates for the other definitions were as follows: -2 to +2 days, menstrual = 78%, nonmenstrual = 78%; 0 to +1 days, menstrual = 79%, and nonmenstrual = 78%. No differences between menstrual and nonmenstrual attacks were found for the 2-hour pain free and 24-hour sustained pain free measures for any of the three definitions. CONCLUSIONS: Rizatriptan 10-mg wafers were equally effective in the treatment of menstrual and nonmenstrual migraine attacks occurring over 6 months, regardless of the precise definition of menstrual association used and even when the outcome criteria were very stringent. These data provide further evidence that triptans are effective treatments for menstrual migraine.

Administration, Oral↗