Headaches: new treatments and personalised care for the 6 million Italians who suffer from them
These common and often debilitating conditions require accurate diagnoses and dedicated treatment pathways, alongside a comprehensive approach and further research, including ‘real-world’ studies
‘Cefalea’ is a generic term meaning ‘headache’, but it is often confused with a diagnosis. Although headache is the most common neurological symptom in the world, the diagnostic and treatment pathway for those affected often remains unclear, inefficient and ineffective.
Headache was the focus of a dedicated session at the 65th National Congress of the Sno – Hospital Neurological Sciences – held in Reggio Calabria. The SNO Headache Study Group has renewed its collaboration with Anircef, with a programme aimed at updating the skills of hospital and community neurologists.
The identikit
Of particular importance are innovations in the management of migraine attacks and prevention. Migraine is not simply a headache, but a complex neurological condition that affects around 6 million Italians and can progress to chronic and debilitating forms. Attacks are characterised by intense pain, sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and sometimes vomiting; in some patients, the frequency may increase to the point of chronic migraine, defined as headaches occurring on at least 15 days a month.
New treatments
In recent years, the therapeutic landscape has undergone significant changes thanks to targeted and specific treatments. These include anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies, botulinum toxin and gepants – options that have demonstrated clinical efficacy and a better safety and tolerability profile than many traditional therapies.
The latest treatments are helping to change the natural history of migraine, promoting the recognition of this condition as a neurological disorder to be managed through structured care pathways. Real-world data on anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies show higher efficacy than that observed in registration trials. This is significant because real-world clinical practice involves more complex patients, with a history of multiple treatment failures and comorbidities.
