Importancia del diagnóstico idóneo de cefalea por abuso de ergotamina en primer nivel de atención de salud

Abstract

Introduction: Headache is the most common consultation. Three-quarters of adults have had a headache in the past year, and 30% have had a migraine. It is crucial to have elements that guide us in the evaluation. The International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) is an algorithmic system that defines and classifies all known headache disorders. Objective: The objective of this review is to examine the importance of the diagnosis of headache due to drug abuse (ergotamine) using the proposed diagnostic criteria of the international classification of headaches to avoid the adverse effects triggered by this drug with a clinical and applicable approach in the first level of health care. Materials and methods: Search strategy for updated studies in electronic databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from the beginning of the database until August 2021. Conclusion: The use of medication without a prescription carries several risks such as: worsening of the clinical picture, adverse reactions or intoxication. It usually remits with the withdrawal of the drug, if it becomes dangerous due to its interaction with medications or due to intoxication, which implies that the primary care physician must identify if the patient is abusing ergotamines since it can be fatal in certain cases, as that the drug is easily accessible.