Effective acetazolamide for the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to carcinomatous meningitis: a case report

ABSTRACT

<b>Introduction</b> We experienced a case in which acetazolamide proved to be effective for the symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to carcinomatous meningitis. <b>Case</b> The patient was a male in his fifties who was diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma. He was suffered from headache and vomiting due to carcinomatous meningitis after his admission to our palliative care unit, so he was prescribed steroids and a glycerin infusion. But only morning headache remained, and we added acetazolamide 500 mg per day and his morning headache improved. <b>Conclusion</b> This morning headache is thought to reflect exacerbation of raised intracranial pressure through nocturnal hypoventilation with a rise in PaCO2, so it was thought that acetazolamide decreased PaCO2 and relieved morning headache.