title: Treatment of migraine and tension-type headache in Croatia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the treatment patterns of migraine and tension-type headache in the Croatian population. Analysis included the proportion of patients who were taking specific antimigraine therapy and the number of tablets per attack per month, the proportion of patients who were taking prophylactic therapy or using alternative treatment methods and their satisfaction with the treatment. The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey. Self-completed questionnaires were randomly distributed to adults >18 years of age in the Croatian population. A total of 616 questionnaires were analyzed: 115 patients with migraine (M), 327 patients with tension-type headache (TTH), and 174 patients with probable migraine (PM) and TTH. Specific antimigraine therapy was taken by half of patients with migraine: 35.7% of patients used triptans and 21.7% ergotamines. Prophylactic treatment had been used by 13.9% of M, 1.2% of TTH, and 6.9% of PM patients. Alternative methods of treatment were tried by 27% of M and TTH patients. Only 16.8% of patients with M pay regular visits to physicians, while 36.3% never visited a physician. More than half of TTH patients have never visited a physician. The majority of patients are only partially satisfied with their current treatment, and almost one-third are not satisfied. Results of this study indicate that the treatment of primary headaches in Croatia should be improved.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Neurology, University Hospital "Sestre milosrdnice", Vinogradska c 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. vlasta.vukovic@uclmail.net
authors.forename: Vlasta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vuković
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plavec
authors.forename: Arijana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lovrencić Huzjan
authors.forename: Mislav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Budisić
authors.forename: Vida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Demarin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004879:Ergotamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D004879:Ergotamines; D014363:Tryptamines