[Cluster headache--clinical aspects, pathophysiology and treatment].
BACKGROUND
Cluster headache afflicts somewhat less than one in thousand in the general population. The majority of sufferers are men.


METHODS
The syndrome is characterized by frequent attacks of intense pain localized in and around the eye on one side, characteristically accompanied by conjunctival injection and lacrimation in this eye, along with nasal stuffiness on the same side and sometimes a Horner's syndrome. All symptoms and signs are strictly unilateral and occur during attacks lasting between 15 minutes and three hours. The attacks occur from once to eight times daily during a period lasting from some weeks to months. After a remission of varying duration, the same pattern recurs.


METHODS
Recent findings suggest a pivotal role of the hypothalamus in relation to the pathophysiology.


METHODS
Sumatriptan injection or oxygen inhalation aborts pain attacks in most patients. The most frequently used prophylactic agents are verapamil, lithium and steroids.
Salvesen
R
R
Nevrologisk avdeling, Nordland Sentralsykehus, 8092 Bodø. rolf.salvesen@c2i.net
D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods