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Controlled Clinical Trial
. 2008 Jun;9(3):177-80.
doi: 10.1007/s10194-008-0034-x. Epub 2008 Apr 10.

Intracranial hemodynamics during intravenous infusion of glyceryl trinitrate

H K Iversen  1 , S Holm, L Friberg, P Tfelt-Hansen
Affiliations
Controlled Clinical Trial

Intracranial hemodynamics during intravenous infusion of glyceryl trinitrate

H K Iversen et al. J Headache Pain. 2008 Jun.

Abstract

The mechanisms of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)-induced headache are not fully elucidated. In this study we administered GTN 0.5 microg/kg/min i.v. for 20 min in six healthy volunteers. Before, during and 60 min after the infusion, we investigated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), both estimated with SPECT, and blood flow velocity (BFV) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), measured with transcranial Doppler. Headache was scored on a numerical verbal rating (0-10) scale. rCBF was unchanged, CBV was slightly increased (13%) during GTN infusion, whereas BFV decreased both during (20%) and 60 min (15%) after GTN. Headache was short-lived and maximal during infusion. This discrepancy of time-effect curves for the effect of GTN on headache and dilatation of MCA indicates that MCA is most likely not the primary source of pain in GTN-induced headache. The time-effect curves for the effect of GTN on headache and on dilation of MCA differed markedly. This indicates that MCA is most likely not the primary source of pain in GTN-induced headache.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The effect of glyceryl trinitrate (0.5 μg/kg/min) i.v. for 20 min in six healthy volunteers on cerebral blood volume, regional cerebral blood flow and blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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