When should “chronic migraine” patients be considered “refractory” to pharmacological prophylaxis?
- 1 May 2008
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Neurological Sciences
- Vol. 29 (1), 55-58
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-0888-3
Abstract
Patients with chronic headache forms evolving from a previous episodic migraine ('chronic migraine') are often difficult to treat. In this paper we focus attention on aspects we believe important for producing a definition of "refractory" in relation to this headache form. We propose a "chronic migraine" patient should be considered "refractory" to pharmacological prophylaxis when adequate trials of preventive therapies at adequate doses have failed to reduce headache frequency and improve headache-related disability and, in patients with medication overuse, reduce the consumption of symptomatic drugs. However before a definition of "refractory" chronic migraine can become established, generally accepted diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines for this condition need to be developed.Keywords
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