Speakers - NWC 2024

Abstract

Purpose of review: Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a critical problem worldwide and controversial regarding its entity. This article reviews the risk factors, comorbidities, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, effective management, and prognosis of MOH by summaries. It integrates the results and findings in previously performed more than 15000 studies (from 2010 to 2023) available from the scientific database of the University Medical Library in the University Clinical Centre of Niš, which aimed to investigate and define a complex type of headache.

Recent finding: It has been proposed that all acute migraine medications can lead to MOH, with differences in the propensity of different agents to cause the problem. Early data suggests that triptans and other painkillers used for the acute treatment of migraine may be an exception. Recent studies show that practitioners and the general public are still largely unaware of the problem of medication overuse and its damaging effects.

Summary: Although MOH likely occurs, restricting the number of acute medications is necessary to prevent it. It is also possible that increasing amounts of acute medicines are simply a reflection of poorly controlled headaches rather than a course. Further research needs to be developed to identify more precise mechanisms in MOH effectiveness and its evolution.

Keywords: medication overuse headache (MOH)