Could statins be useful in the treatment of patients with migraine?

Abstract

Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disorder. Studies have shown that patients with migraine (especially those with typical aura with migraine) have an unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile and an increased risk of early-onset (<45 years) ischemic stroke. Statins are effective hypolipidemic drugs that reduce cardiovascular-related morbidity and death in patients with or without established atherosclerotic vascular disease. We report a patient whose frequent attacks of typical aura with migraine completely resolved after the initiation of treatment with a statin. In this context, we comment on the possible effects of statins on the pathophysiology of migraine. We suggest that statins may be useful drugs in the treatment of migraine because they could reduce the increased cardiovascular risk in these patients and also attenuate migraine attacks. Only a randomized prospective study in this population could provide a definite answer to these speculations. © 2006 by American Headache Society Published by Blackwell Publishing.