2. Definition
MOH (Medication-Overuse headache)
Secondary chronic daily headache
Headache induced by the overuse of analgesics,
triptans or other acute headache compounds,
ocurring 15 days/month, 4hrs/day, per 3 months or
more.
Repeated medication reaches a threshold causing
transformation (chronification)
3. Introduction / Epidemiology
Higher preponderance in woman
In a study on episodic migraineurs (n=532), the 1-year
incidence of chronic headache was 14%, with a higher
risk for patients who had a higher headache frequency at
baseline and for patients taking greater amounts of
analgesics.
Ergotamine, analgesics, barbiturates and caffeine
Poorer quality of life (Measured by scales: higher score
on MIDAS: Migraine disability assessment scale)
4. Clinical manifestations
Criteria established by the International Headache
Society (IHS) in 2005
The primary headache disorder leading to MOH is
migraine in most cases.
MOH mainly occurs in patients with a primary headache
disorder
Comorbidities
Subclinical obsessive-compulsive disorder
Anxiety - Mood disorders
Type of medications overused.
5. Symptoms
Circadian periodicity
Patients
may be awakened from sleep or have onset
upon arising
Neck pain / Cervicogenic pain.
Rhinorrhea, nasal stuffiness, postnasal drip, and
ocular or gastrointestinal symptoms, likely
caused by withdrawal and most evident in opioid
rebound.
Nonrestorative sleep disturbance
8. Diagnostic criteria
There is no certainty whether combined drugs are more
likely to cause MOH or not, compared to single
substances.
The headache features of MOH caused by ergotamine
derivatives are more severe than those caused by
triptans.
Overuse of ergotamine + analgesics: daily tension-type-like
headache,
Overuse of triptans: (daily) migraine-like headache or an
increase in migraine frequency
9. Withdrawal treatment
Detoxification process
Improve
responsiveness to acute and prophylactic
drugs
Abrupt discontinuation vs. tapered withdrawal
Main symptoms of withdrawal
worsening
of the headache
nausea, vomiting
arterial hypotension, tachycardia
sleep disturbances
restlessness, anxiety, nervousness
10. Withdrawal treatment
Inpatient vs. Outpatient
Overuse
of opioids, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines
psychological problems
severe medical comorbidities
severe withdrawal
symptoms (eg, vomiting and status migrainous)
previous medication withdrawal failure