Objectives: To discuss headache secondary to cerebrovascular disease.
Background: Headache is an important symptom in cerebrovascular diseases. In some conditions, headache is the leading symptom. Migraine is associated with an increased risk of stroke.
Methods: The authors undertook a literature search for the terms "headache" and "cerebrovascular diseases".
Results: We report studies on headache in subarachnoidal hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, TIA, basilar artery thrombosis, cervical artery dissection, cerebellar stroke, arteritis and cerebral sinus venous thrombosis. In addition, we discuss migraine and stroke and thunderclap headache.
Conclusions: Headache is a leading symptom in many cerebrovascular diseases. Headache in combination with focal neurological deficits requires immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Keywords: Ischemic stroke; arteritis; cerebral sinus venous thrombosis; cervical artery dissection; intracerebral hemorrhage; treatment.