[Prospective epidemiologic study of headache in ambulatory neurology service in the province of Palencia].

OBJECTIVES

To study demographic data about the first time consultations for headache in our neurologic clinic, its diagnostic distribution, its diagnostic and therapeutic management by the neurologist, its source, and the influence of the primary care doctors formation in their search of neurological consultation and therapeutic management in patients with headache.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A protocol with several demographic clinical and medical care data of the all first time visits for headache in our province was picked up, during 3 consecutive months.

RESULTS

Headaches represent 21.5% of the first time consultations. The majority of the patients were women. The primary care doctors sent 93.6% of patients. The two more common diagnoses were tension-type headache (60%) and migraine (25.4%), reflecting their prevalences in the population. The more common treatments were the associations of two drugs. The general doctors sent more patients with headache (3.36 per thousand and year) than family doctors (1.84 per thousand and year). The approximation between initial diagnosis (primary care doctor) and final diagnosis (neurologist) was 26.4%, greater for family doctors (38.1%) than for general doctors (23.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Headaches represent the first cause of neurological consultation. The diagnostic distribution of the patients sent to our province shows the prevalences in the population. The family medicine formation is useful for a better selection of the patients sent to neurologists and a better diagnostic approach.