Bilateral occipital infarcts due to persistent migraine with aura in an elderly

Abstract

Migrainous infarction is a rare complication of migraine that mostly occurs in the posterior circulation and in younger women, with an incidence of less than 1%. It is known that migraine, especially migraine with aura, is a risk factor for ischemic stroke in younger adults but not in the elderly. We report a 71-year-old male patient who experienced abnormal visions due to migraine headache and persistent aura, causing bilateral occipital infarcts. He has been suffering from migraine with aura since his adolescence. The frequency and severity of his attacks decreased with age. He has recently been diagnosed with hypertension as a vascular risk factor, in addition to migraine and advanced age. His symptoms have been brought under control with verapamil. Migrainous infarction can present itself at older ages without prominent vascular risk factors, and it can be managed with verapamil.