Headache as an Adverse Reaction to the Use of Medication in the Elderly: A Pharmacovigilance Study
Open Access
- 7 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Vol. 18 (5), 2674
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052674
Abstract
There is a consensus that elderly individuals are quite vulnerable to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and headaches are one of the most frequent clinical presentations of central nervous system problems in the general population, which can be an ADR. The purpose of our work was to analyze reports of “headache” associated ADRs in the elderly sent to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System (PPS), and also which drugs were more frequently associated with this adverse reaction. A retrospective analysis of suspected ADR reports involving patients aged 65 years or older received by the PPS in the last 10 years was conducted. A search of all the terms associated with the High Level Term “headache” was performed. All duplicate reports were excluded from the analysis. A total of 155 ADRs reports were included, in which 15 reported isolated “headache” as suspected ADR, while the remaining 140 ADRs reports reported “headache” together with several other adverse reactions. Most reports of “headache” ADR occurred in women (74.8%; n = 116). About half (46.5%; n = 72) of the ADR reports were considered serious. Anti-viral medication, anti-depressants, anti-dyslipidemic agents and central nervous system-acting analgesics were the most frequent drugs associated with “headache” ADR reports in this population. In elderly patients, most ADR reports involving headaches occurred in women and a high percentage (46.5%) were considered serious. Thus, it is important that healthcare professionals pay more attention to headaches reported as ADRs in the elderly and drugs suspected to cause them, in order to increase knowledge about this type of reaction and contribute towards safely using drugs in this age group.This publication has 39 references indexed in Scilit:
- Underreporting in pharmacovigilance: an intervention for Italian GPs (Emilia–Romagna region)European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2012
- Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Persons Aged 55 Years and OverDrugs & Aging, 2012
- Designing clinical trials in older peopleMaturitas, 2011
- Unusual Headaches in the ElderlyCurrent Pain and Headache Reports, 2011
- Focus on headache as an adverse reaction to drugsThe Journal of Headache and Pain, 2009
- Pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism in the elderlyDrug Metabolism Reviews, 2009
- Clinical consequences of polypharmacy in elderly: expect the unexpected, think the unthinkableExpert Opinion on Drug Safety, 2007
- Migraine in the Elderly: A Comparison With Migraine in Young AdultsHeadache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 2006
- Nitroglycerin-Induced Headache is Not Dependent on Histamine Release: Support For a Direct Nociceptive Action of Nitric OxideCephalalgia, 1994