title: Nontraumatic headache in the Emergency Department: a survey in the province of Trieste.
abstract: The objective was to study the demographics, diagnostic procedures and therapies employed in order to provide guidelines to Emergency Department (ED) physicians. A six-month retrospective analysis of the records of all patients presenting with nontraumatic headache (NTH) to the EDs of the Province of Trieste was performed. Of 38,238 patients screened, 300 (0.8%) presented with NTH and 49.7% were referred to specialists. Patients were classified as having secondary headache (41.3%), primary headache (24.3%) and headache with no obvious source (NOS) (34.4%). One hundred and seventy patients were treated with mono- or polytherapy. Of 50 patients with migraine, 36 were treated with NSAIDs and 4 with triptans. 68.4% of patients were referred to a general practitioner and 31.6% were admitted. The frequency of NTH was lower than in other studies. NOS headache was frequent. Only 10% of migraineurs received triptans. Diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for ED physicians are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Neurology, Headache Center, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Relja
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capozzoli
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maggiore
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catalan
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzolato
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zalukar
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Livia
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gregorutti
authors.forename: Marino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zorzon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D051270:Headache Disorders, Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents