COPENHAGEN ACUTE HEADACHE CLINIC - ORGANIZATION, PATIENT MATERIAL AND TREATMENT RESULTS

SYNOPSIS The Copenhagen Acute Headache Clinic is part of the neurological department of the University Hospital. Patients with acute attacks of headache are treated day or night by the neurological nursing staff and residents. A standard history and examination is used. 88% of all headache patients had migraine. They were treated with metoclopramide 10 mg. i.m. for nausea vomiting and to speed up gastric emptying. Mild analgesics (acetylsalicylic acid 1 gm. or acetaminophen 1 gm. p.o.) and a tranquilizer (diazepam 5 mg. p.o.) were also given. 67% left symptom‐free. 25% left with only mild headache and the remainder left with moderate pain or unimproved. Median time in hospital was four hours. There was no correlation between the length of the attack at the time of arrival and the treatment result. Patients with frequent, severe migraine, (judged by the number of previous house calls) responded as well as others. Patients who had previously used morphine‐like drugs, also responded well to our standard treatment. It is concluded that treatment of migraine patients in‐hospital is worthwhile and economically acceptable when combined with research and teaching. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved