Focus on headache as an adverse reaction to drugs.
There are a large number of drugs inducing headache as an adverse reaction. Nevertheless, headaches as adverse reactions to drugs have received limited attention. Non-serious adverse reactions, such as headache, are not quantified and described as accurately as serious, life threatening ones. However, non-serious reactions can also be extremely troublesome, above all when they are chronic: they can affect patients' quality of life and contribute to non-compliance. It is absolutely possible that the number of patients with headache as an adverse reaction, which is going to increase, considering the growing use of medications. Physicians should, therefore, be aware of this issue. Indeed, it is difficult to attribute the diagnosis of adverse drug reaction to a condition, headache, which is also a very common symptom in general population.
Ferrari
Anna
A
Headache Centre, Division of Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, Section Modena II. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico, Modena 41100, Italy. anna.ferrari@unimore.it
Spaccapelo
Luca
L
Gallesi
Daniela
D
Sternieri
Emilio
E
D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000639:trends*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology