Many migraine sufferers complain of dizziness, fatigue, exercise intolerance, blurred or tunnel vision, diminished concentration, tremulousness, nausea and recurrent syncope (fainting). These symptoms are often attributed to anxiety or panic attacks. A study to be presented later this month by Dr. Mark Stillman of Cleveland Clinic at the 62nd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Toronto reveals that the true cause of these symptoms in many migraine patients is POTS. Postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS is a pronounced increase in heart rate (by at least 30 beats per minute) on standing up. Most of these patients do not suffer from a more familiar condition, orthostatic hypotension, which is a drop in blood pressure on sanding up. Treatment of POTS is difficult and usually involves increasing salt and water intake, aerobic exercise, and small doses of beta blockers (a type of blood pressure medicine also used for prevention of migraines).
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