Medication overuse headache

Prim Care. 2004 Jun;31(2):369-80, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.pop.2004.02.008.

Abstract

Medication overuse headache may complicate any type of headache and occurs in young people, adults, and even elderly patients. Overuse of acute medications may change intermittent or self-limited headaches into chronic daily headache. Migraineurs seem particularly prone to analgesic rebound headache/ transformed migraine/chronic migraine. Prophylactic therapies are often ineffective in the setting of medication overuse. Recognition of this condition allows appropriate clinical intervention that includes cessation of the offending medications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Analgesics / adverse effects*
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Cluster Headache / chemically induced
  • Cluster Headache / therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Headache Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Headache Disorders / drug therapy
  • Headache Disorders / physiopathology
  • Headache Disorders / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Migraine Disorders / chemically induced
  • Migraine Disorders / therapy
  • Primary Health Care / standards
  • Risk Factors
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / therapy*
  • Tension-Type Headache / chemically induced
  • Tension-Type Headache / therapy
  • United States

Substances

  • Analgesics