Clinical Practice Guidelines and Position Statements
The AHS has established guidelines and Position Statements through the dedication of our members, Committees, Special Interest Groups, and Guidelines Committee. These guidelines and Position Statements help promote AHS as the most comprehensive source in the field of Headache Medicine for both professionals and patients.
About Guidelines and Position Statements
Clinical practice guidelines are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. A Position Statement is created when the evidence is not strong enough to support a guideline. Position Statements convey the Society’s endorsed stance or belief about specific Headache Medicine matters.
AHS provides this service to assist all healthcare professionals in their treatment of patients with migraine and related disorders.
Guidelines Committee
The Guidelines Committee works to establish AHS as the authoritative source of information for patients, physicians, and regulatory agencies by developing guidelines and a classification system.
Meet the CommitteePublications
Access the current list of AHS Guidelines, Position Statements, Evidence Assessments, and Consensus Opinions published in the journal Headache®.
2025
Telemedicine is effective and safe for clinical management of patients with headache disorders: An American Headache Society position statement
First published: 16 October 2025
Authors: Deborah I. Friedman and Andrew Charles are joint last authors
Read2025 guideline update to acute treatment of migraine for adults in the emergency department: The American Headache Society evidence assessment of parenteral pharmacotherapies
First published: 01 December 2025
Authors: Jennifer Robblee MD MSc; Mia T. Minen MD MPH; Benjamin W. Friedman MD MS; Miguel A. Cortel-LeBlanc MD MHA; Achelle Cortel-LeBlanc MD; Serena L. Orr MD, MSc
ReadRoutine migraine screening as a standard of care for Women's health: A position statement from the American Headache Society
First published: 10 December 2025
Authors: Todd J. Schwedt MD; Amaal J. Starling MD; Jessica Ailani MD; Andrew D. Hershey MD PhD; Hope L. O'Brien MD MBA; Elizabeth Seng PhD; Adam S. Sprouse-Blum MD PhD; Scott B. Turner DNP; Richard B. Lipton MD
Read2024
Calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeting therapies are a first-line option for the prevention of migraine: An American Headache Society position statement update
First published: 11 March 2024
Andrew C. Charles MD; Kathleen B. Digre MD; Peter J. Goadsby MD PhD; Matthew S. Robbins MD; Andrew Hershey MD PhD; The American Headache Society
Read2021
The American Headache Society Consensus Statement: Update on integrating new migraine treatments into clinical practice
First published: 23 June 2021
Authors: Jessica Ailani MD; Rebecca C. Burch MD; Matthew S. Robbins MD; on behalf of the Board of Directors of the American Headache Society
Read2019
Practice guideline update summary: Acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents
First published: 17 September 2019
Authors: Maryam Oskoui MD MSc; Tamara Pringsheim MD; Yolanda Holler-Managan MD; Sonja Potrebic MD PhD; Lori Billinghurst MD MSc; David Gloss MD; Andrew D. Hershey MD PhD; Nicole Licking DO; Michael Sowell MD; M. Cristina Victorio MD; Elaine M. Gersz; Emily Leininger; Heather Zanitsch; Marcy Yonker MD; Kenneth Mack MD PhD
ReadPractice guideline update summary: Pharmacologic treatment for pediatric migraine prevention
First published: 17 September 2019
Authors: Maryam Oskoui MD MSc; Tamara Pringsheim MD; Lori Billinghurst MD MSc; Sonja Potrebic MD PhD; Elaine M. Gersz; David Gloss MD; Yolanda Holler-Managan MD; Emily Leininger; Nicole Licking DO; Kenneth Mack MD PhD; Scott W. Powers PhD ABPP; Michael Sowell MD; M. Cristina Victorio MD; Marcy Yonker MD; Heather Zanitsch; Andrew D. Hershey MD PhD
Read2018
The American Headache Society Position Statement On Integrating New Migraine Treatments Into Clinical Practice
First published: 10 December 2018
Author: American Headache Society
Read2016
Management of Adults With Acute Migraine in the Emergency Department: The American Headache Society Evidence Assessment of Parenteral Pharmacotherapies
First published: 14 June 2016
Authors: Serena L. Orr MD; Benjamin W. Friedman MD MS; Suzanne Christie MD FRCPC; Mia T. Minen MD; Cynthia Bamford MD; Nancy E. Kelley MD PhD; Deborah Tepper MD
ReadTreatment of Cluster Headache: The American Headache Society Evidence-Based Guidelines
First published: 19 July 2016
Authors: Matthew S. Robbins MD; Amaal J. Starling MD; Tamara M. Pringsheim MD; Werner J. Becker MD; Todd J. Schwedt MD
ReadHow to Apply the AHS Evidence Assessment of the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Adults to your Patient with Migraine
First published: 20 June 2016
Authors: Tamara Pringsheim MD; William Jeptha Davenport MD; Michael J. Marmura MD; Todd J. Schwedt MD; Stephen Silberstein MD
Read2015
The Acute Treatment of Migraine in Adults: The American Headache Society Evidence Assessment of Migraine Pharmacotherapies
First published: 20 January 2015
Authors: Michael J. Marmura MD; Stephen D. Silberstein MD FACP; Todd J. Schwedt MD MSCI
Read2013
Choosing Wisely in Headache Medicine: The American Headache Society's List of Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question
First published: 29 October 2013
Authors: Elizabeth Loder MD MPH; Emma Weizenbaum BA; Benjamin Frishberg MD; Stephen Silberstein MD; on behalf of the American Headache Society Choosing Wisely Task Force
Read2012
The 2012 AHS/AAN Guidelines for Prevention of Episodic Migraine: A Summary and Comparison With Other Recent Clinical Practice Guidelines
First published: 26 April 2012
Authors: Elizabeth Loder MD MPH; Rebecca Burch MD; Paul Rizzoli MD
Read2010
The FDA Alert on Serotonin Syndrome With Use of Triptans Combined With Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or Selective Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors: American Headache Society Position Paper
First published: 01 June 2010
Authors: Randoph W. Evans MD; Stewart J. Tepper MD; Robert E. Shapiro MD PhD; Christina Sun-Edelstein MD; Gretchen E. Tietjen MD
Read2005
Guidelines for Trials of Behavioral Treatments for Recurrent Headache, First Edition: American Headache Society Behavioral Clinical Trials Workgroup
First published: 25 May 2005
Authors: Donald B. Penzien PhD; Frank Andrasik PhD; Brian M. Freidenberg PhD; Timonty T. Houle PhD; Alvin E. Lake III PhD; Gay L. Lipchik PhD; Kenneth A. Holroyd PhD; Richard B. Lipton MD; Douglas C. MCCrory MD; Justin M. Nash PhD; Robert A. Nicholson PhD; Scott W. Powers PhD ABPP; Jeanetta C. Rains PhD; David A. Wittrock PhD
Read2004
Consensus Statement: Cardiovascular Safety Profile of Triptans (5-HT1B/1D Agonists) in the Acute Treatment of Migraine
First published: 07 May 2004
Authors: David Dodick MD; Richard B. Lipton MD; Vincent Martin MD; Vasilios Papademetriou MD; Wayne Rosamond PhD; Antonette MaassenVanDenBrink PhD; Hassan Loutfi MD; K.Michael Welch MD; Peter J. Goadsby MD PhD; Steven Hahn MD; Susan Hutchinson MD; David Matchar Md FACP; Stephen Silberstein MD; Timothy R. Smith MD; R. Allan Purdy Md FCP; Jane Saiers PhD; The Triptan Cardiovascular Safety Expert Panel
Read