Hypnic Headache and Basilar Artery Dolichoectasia. Issue 6 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moreira, Isabel; Mendonça, Teresa; Monteiro, José P.; Santos, Ernestina
• Is Part Of: Neurologist. Volume 20:Issue 6(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: hypnic headache -- alarm clock headache -- vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia; Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Neurologie; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1097/NRL.0000000000000063
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1074-7931

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Hypnic headache is regarded by most authors as a primary headache, but in some cases it was considered secondary to hypophysis, brain stem, or posterior fossa lesions. Case: We report a case of a 69-year-old woman with a history of a headache that fulfils all International Classification of Headache Disorders-II criteria for hypnic headache, with 2 years of evolution, whose complementary investigation with magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance angiography revealed a dolichoectasia of the basilary artery. She was treated with verapamil with excellent response. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first described case of a patient with hypnic headache and a dolichoectasic basilar artery. The relation between these 2 entities is questionable, but we raise some possible explanations for this relationship.