ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of specific headache disorders in a population older than 65 years seeking consultation due to memory problems or cognitive impairment. METHODS: We verified the occurrence of headache symptoms and the impact of headaches on daily life. Headaches were classified as per the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edition (ICHD-2). All patients were screened with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), followed by the Selective Reminding Test and neuroimaging. Participants with severe cognitive impairment or dementia were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 1,237 patients (51.6% women), with mean age of 75.6 years (SD = 6.9) were screened from January 2006 to December 2014. Of them, 302 (24.4%) patients suffered from headaches. Most common individual diagnoses were probable migraine (13.8%), episodic tension-type headache (3.4%), and episodic migraine (3.0%). Chronic migraine or probable chronic migraine happened in 3.5%, while chronic tension-type headache affected 0.6%. Most patients with headaches routinely used symptomatic medications (55.6%). Mean MMSE scores were similar in patients with or without headaches, or with different headache diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Headache disorders overall, frequent headaches, and headaches requiring treatment are commonly seen in the elderly seeking care for cognitive decline and should be properly assessed and managed.
