Cefaleas en pacientes internados. Análisis de 35 casos

Introduction Headache is a pain syndrome secondary to multiple causes, in addition to the primary forms. In the ambulatory setting and urgent care, the prevalence of primary headaches is higher. Headache in an inpatient can be worrisome for the treating physician, even more in the context of an underlying cause of admission. Currently, there are no studies reporting the prevalence of headaches in inpatients. Objective To evaluate causes of headache in hospitalized patients. Patients and methods We evaluated 1.324 hospitalized patients in a community hospital, between May and October 2011, of which 35 fulfilled inclusion criteria. Results Primary headache was diagnosed in 45.7%; whereas 54.3% had secondary headaches. Migraine was the main primary headache. Headache atributed to hypoxia was the most common secondary headache, found mostly in patients admitted for surgical reasons, or associated to pulmonary infections. Conclusion In our study, the frequency of primary and secondary headaches in hospitalized patients was similar.