EVALUATION OF THE TREATMENT OF CEPHALALGIA: THE LITERATURE

  • Maria Ingra Oliveira Martins Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
  • Tamires Santana de Sá Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
  • Luiz Felipe Oliveira Barros Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI e das Faculdades Unidas do Norte de Minas - FUNORTE
Keywords: Cephalalgia, Cephaleia, Treatment

Abstract

Cephalalgia is a form of chronic cephalea which may be defined as a neurological disease characterized by unilateral or bilateral headaches, of a pulsating and throbbing nature, with moderate to intense degrees and manifestations such as photophobia, phonophobia, nausea and/or vomits. It may be preceded or not by psychic, clinical and neurological signs known as aura. Crises make many patients abandon their normal activities, with great social impact. Since it is such a common disease, cephalalgia is evaluated by different types of symptomatic and prophylactic treatments by pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures. Current bibliographical review is based on national and international article, journals and books on the subject. The most efficient approach for treatment includes distancing from triggering factors, medicine treatment for pain alleviation, preventive treatment and complementary or non-medicine therapies. Several medicine classes which include common analgesics, non-steroid anti-inflammatory medicine, ergot alkaloids, triptans and antihemetics may be used for acute treatment, beta-blockers, anti-depressive tricycles, anti-convulsives, calcium channel blockers and receptor 5-HT2 agonists are employed for prophylactic treatment. When these medicines are personalized and used correctly for acute treatment and as prophylactics, they have diminished frequencies and intensities of cephalalgia episodes with the consequent decrease in suffering and improvement of life quality.

Author Biographies

Maria Ingra Oliveira Martins, Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
Discente do curso de Farmácia da Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
Tamires Santana de Sá, Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
Discente do curso de Farmácia da Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI
Luiz Felipe Oliveira Barros, Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI e das Faculdades Unidas do Norte de Minas - FUNORTE
Docente do Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas da Faculdade de Saúde Ibituruna - FASI e das Faculdades Unidas do Norte de Minas - FUNORTE.
Published
2013-12-12
Section
Artigos de Revisão