[Health care activity in a headache-specific clinic].
BACKGROUND
It is reckoned that headaches affect, at least once a year, around 90% of the population. The socioeconomic repercussion occasioned by this malady justifies the appearance in recent years of headache units.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct a descriptive epidemiological and health care study of the activity carried out in a headache-specific clinic.


METHODS
All the relevant points from the histories of patients who visited our surgery over a period of two years were collected prospectively and consecutively. The different types of headaches were classified according to the 1988 IHS criteria. Both the symptomatic and the preventive treatment were analysed.


RESULTS
In all, a total of 866 patients were found; 691 (79.8%) were females and the mean age was 39.8 +/- 15.9 years (range: 6-90 years); 208 (24%) had a history of migraine in the family; 399 (49.9%) were diagnosed as suffering from migraine: 256 (64.2%) had migraine without aura, 152 (19%) were diagnosed as having tension-type headache, and 218 (27.3%) presented chronic daily headache (CDH). The most frequently used symptomatic treatments were NSAI drugs (36.7%) and triptanes (28.4%). Amitriptyline (47.7%), beta-blockers (14.5%) and calcium antagonists (11.3%) were the main drugs used as preventive treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
After several years' operation of our Headache Unit, we thought there was a need to analyse the population seen in the visits. The fact that the majority of our patients were middle-aged females matched our expectations. Although most of the patients were diagnosed as suffering from M, we also want to highlight the high proportion of cases of CDH, above all associated with the abuse of analgesics.
Garcia-Escrivà
A
A
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitari d'Alacant, Alicante, Spain. asencio_mon@gva.es
Asensio-Asensio
M
M
López-Hernández
N
N
González-Aznar
O J
OJ
Oliver-Navarrete
C
C
Alvarez-Saúco
M
M
Pampliega-Pérez
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000700:Analgesics
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