Erschienen in:
01.06.2010 | Headaches in Extreme Age of Life
Secondary headaches in the elderly
verfasst von:
P. Tanganelli
Erschienen in:
Neurological Sciences
|
Sonderheft 1/2010
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Abstract
The prevalence of headache decreases with age. However, headache is still ranked as one of the most frequent complaints in the elderly. Aging is accompanied by a decline in the incidence of most primary headache disorders and by an increase in organic causes of headache, especially after 55–60 years of age. New onset headaches or a change in headache pattern in this age group carries a high index of suspicion for organic diseases. A broad differential diagnosis and unique diagnostic considerations must be considered. Secondary headache disorders reflect underlying organic diseases such as giant cell arteritis, intracranial mass lesion, cerebrovascular diseases or metabolic abnormality.