Approach To Acute Headaches

Although secondary causes for headache are discemible in only about 15% of persons attending emergency departments with headache, any person presenting with acute headache needs to be investigated to rule our secondary headache disorders. The clinical approach to the patient with the worst ever headache and the features of some of the headache disorders manifesting with acute headache are discussed. Most patients with secondary headache disorders have suggestive clinical features which should not be overlooked. Appropriate use of neuroimaging, CSF analysis and angiography are essential to ascertain the underlying etiology.