[Therapeutic guidelines for headache]

Abstract

Guidelines have been recently introduced in clinical practice in order to improve the quality of patient care reducing health-care costs. In 1993 the Italian Headache Society has published the "Guidelines and recommendation for the treatment of migraine" based on a wide revision of the existing literature and a consensus conference of Italian headache experts. These guidelines include the information necessary to make a correct diagnosis and to identify the best symptomatic and/or prophylactic migraine treatment. Until now guidelines for the treatment of tension-type headache and cluster headache are not available. However we can refer to the "Treatment recommendations" proposed by the Educational Committee of the International Headache Society. These suggestions indicate common practice and give precise information about types and dosages of the drugs utilizable for the prophylaxis and for the treatment of attacks.