Emergency Room Treatment of Migraine Headache.

Headache is the chief complaint in the emergency room in between 0.36% and 2.5% of patients. It is essential that the headache diagnosis be established to rule-out a potentially morbid disorder, as well as facilitate selection of appropriate interventions. Referral with follow-up care is essential to patients with frequent headaches in order to prevent repeat emergency room visits and possible narcotic dependency. Two stages define emergency room treatment of any form of headache--initial stabilization and treatment (which may be started in the emergency room). Despite the introduction of migraine-specific therapy in 1993, only a minority of migraine headache patients are prescribed this treatment.