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Post-stroke Headache

  • Uncommon and/or Unusual Headaches and Syndromes (F Cohen, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Stroke is a major health concern and a leading cause of long-term disability. Persistent post-stroke headache (PPSH) is a common complication of stroke yet little is known about its specific characteristics or optimal management. The purpose of this review is to discuss the epidemiology, presentation, and hypothesized pathophysiology of PPSH. Acute and preventive treatment options, as well as specific concerns regarding triptans and the newer CGRP antagonists, will be discussed in detail as well.

Recent Findings

The 2018 International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3) was the first headache diagnostic manual to include criteria for PPSH and defines this disorder as an acute headache that develops in close temporal relation to stroke and persists beyond 3 months. Recent literature estimates the prevalence of PPSH to be somewhere between 1 and 23% of patients post-stroke. Presentation is variable, but most often mimics tension-type headache. There are no evidence-based guidelines on the optimal treatment of PPSH.

Summary

PPSH is a common but poorly understood complication of stroke. Given the significant disability burden that PPSH carries, the epidemiology and pathophysiology of PPSH, as well as the efficacy and safety of potential treatment options, warrant further investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Headache and Facial Pain, Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA

    Monica Chan & Alison Thaler

  2. Department of Neurology, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, 700 2nd St NE, Washington, DC, 20002, USA

    Monica Chan

  3. 1468 Madison Avenue Annenberg 2-035, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Alison Thaler

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Contributions

The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: M.C. and A.T. wrote the main manuscript text. M.C. prepared the tables. M.C. and A.T. reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Monica Chan.

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Chan, M., Thaler, A. Post-stroke Headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep 27, 673–678 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-023-01169-4

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