Headache provocation by nitric oxide in men who have never experienced a headache.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

In the general population 4% have never experienced a headache. Freedom from headache could be due to distinctive protective mechanisms or a lack of environmental risk factors for headache. Isosorbide-5-mononitrate is an organic nitrate which in the body is metabolised to nitric oxide. The nitric oxide pathway plays a crucial role in the primary headaches. We hypothesized that people who are free from headache are protected by distinctive mechanisms in the nitric oxide pathway.

Methods

We performed an observer blinded case-control study using nitric oxide to provoke a headache. 32 headache free male participants and 26 randomly selected male controls received 60 mg Isosorbide-5-mononitrate orally on the study day. Participants fill out a headache diary with head

SUBMITTER: Olofsson IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9109242 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature