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Headache in the elderly
W B Young1, S D Silberstein1, R B Lipton2
1Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center, 111 South 11th Street, Ste. 8130, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5092, USA.
Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
|February 28, 2014
Summary
Headaches in older adults often signal serious conditions, necessitating prompt medical evaluation. New or changed headaches after age 55 require ruling out secondary causes like tumors or stroke.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Headache prevalence shifts with age, with primary disorders decreasing and secondary causes increasing.
- New-onset or altered headache patterns in individuals over 55 warrant careful consideration of serious underlying conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review secondary causes of headache in the elderly.
- To discuss symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment for headaches in older patients.
- To cover the epidemiology and management of primary headache disorders in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on secondary headaches in the elderly.
- Analysis of diagnostic approaches and treatment strategies.
- Epidemiological review of primary headache disorders in older adults.
Main Results:
- Headaches beginning after age 55 are frequently linked to severe conditions or comorbidities.
- Serious secondary causes include tumors, subdural hematomas, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and temporal arteritis.
- A lower threshold for diagnostic testing is advised for new, atypical, or neurologically associated headaches in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- Prompt identification and management of secondary headaches are crucial in older patients.
- Thorough evaluation, including appropriate testing, is essential for new or changed headaches in the elderly.
- Understanding both primary and secondary headache etiologies is key for effective geriatric headache care.
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