CE: Diagnosing and Managing Migraine

Am J Nurs. 2022 Jan 1;122(1):32-43. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000805640.82646.ac.

Abstract

Roughly 90% of the U.S. population will develop a headache within their lifetime, and headache disorders account for more disability-adjusted life-years than all other neurologic disorders combined. Among primary headache disorders, the two most common are tension-type headache and migraine, with migraine identified as the most disabling. Here, the authors describe the importance of differentiating primary and secondary headache disorders and discuss the pathophysiology; clinical assessment; and outpatient management of the debilitating migraine headache, summarizing both acute and prophylactic treatment strategies that can substantially reduce associated disability.

MeSH terms

  • Disability-Adjusted Life Years*
  • Disease Management*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Migraine Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Migraine Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Migraine Disorders / physiopathology
  • Tension-Type Headache / diagnosis*
  • Tension-Type Headache / drug therapy*
  • Tension-Type Headache / physiopathology