Possible Ergotamine‐Caffeine—Associated Delirium

Abstract

An elderly patient with a history of chronic migraine was hospitalized with systolic hypertension and significant mental status changes, including increasing confusion, combative behavior, and remarkably detailed auditory hallucinations of several weeks' duration. Daily increased consumption of a product containing ergotamine 1 mg and caffeine 100 mg coincided with both onset and increasing severity of symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the contemporary literature of severe mental status changes and hallucination possibly due to ergotamine-caffeine.

Effects of hallucinogenic drugs on the human heart

“…Hence, it may not be surprising that ergotamine, like LSD, can bind to 5-HT 2A -serotonin receptors in the brain. As with LSD, ergotamine can lead to hallucinations (Gulbranson et al, 2002;Silberstein and McCrory, 2003). Ergotamine can also stimulate peripheral 5-HT 2A -serotonin receptors but also, as a partial agonist, vasoconstrictory α 1 -adrenoceptors (review: Silberstein and McCrory, 2003).…”