Headaches in older people. How are they different in this age-group?

The cause of headaches in older people is more likely to be disease than in younger people. Therefore, a high index of suspicion and a willingness to investigate new headaches in the elderly are essential. Benign dysfunctional headaches (eg, migraine, tension-type headaches) that have carried over from youth are found most often. However, several diseases with increased prevalence in the elderly can cause headaches, including giant cell arteritis, intracranial mass lesions, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, and chronic obstructive lung disease with hypercapnia. Unfortunately, many prescription and over-the-counter drugs being taken for medical diseases commonly found in aging patients can cause headaches. Hypnic headaches are an unusual but easily recognized and treated problem found only in the elderly.