Migraines in Women: Current Evidence for Management of Episodic and Chronic Migraines

Abstract

Migraine headache is a disabling brain disorder that affects millions of women in the United States. Many migraine sufferers are undertreated. Both inadequate treatment and overuse of abortive migraine medication can contribute to progression from episodic to chronic migraine disorders. A significant number of migraine headaches or severity of episodic migraine headaches warrants treatment with prophylactic medications for prevention. This clinical update reviews the pathophysiology and diagnosis of migraine headaches in women, discusses the efficacy of abortive and chronic pharmacologic treatment, and examines strategies to prevent progression from episodic migraine to chronic migraine. A discussion of treatment during pregnancy and lactation is included.

Keywords: migraine headache; primary care; triptan.