ARMR Shows Potential in Furthering Research
A study published in Headache® demonstrated the American Registry for Migraine Research’s ability to highlight larger trends among headache patients and help improve treatment Data gathered in the American Registry for Migraine Research (ARMR) will allow for longitudinal and advanced analytics, according to a recent paper published in Headache®. Jessica Ailani, MD, FAHS, and colleagues outlined ARMR research methods and reported baseline data describing an initial cohort. “ARMR data … are expected to lead to a better characterization of patient heterogeneity, healthcare resource utilization, identification of endophenotypes, factors that predict treatment outcomes and clinical course, and ultimately advance the field...Read More
Headache Specialists vs. Non-Headache Specialists for Pediatric Treatments: A Review
Lauren Doyle Strauss, DO, FAHS, evaluates a study published in Headache® that looks at the differences in pediatric migraine management between different types of physicians Management practices for children with migraine vary between headache specialists and non-headache specialists. But these differences need to be overcome in order to better serve headache patients. This is according to an article published in Headache®. Radhika Gutta, BS, and colleagues examined the use of appropriate rescue medications and prophylactic agents, as well as the application of neuroimaging and short-term outcomes in children with migraine. Lauren Doyle Strauss, DO, FAHS, commented on this study for...Read More
CSF Pressure and Volume Disorders: SIS Feature
Linda Gray Leithe, MD, discusses her Special Interest Section’s goal of intracranial hypotension and hypertension education The American Headache Society is home to a diverse array of Special Interest Sections (SIS), like the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Pressure and Volume Disorders SIS. The goal of each SIS is to connect members with shared expertise and interests to collaborate on research, develop practice models and provide multidisciplinary participation in support of the Society’s overall mission. The Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Pressure and Volume Disorders Special Interest Section aims to educate primary care physicians, neurologists and headache physicians on the clinical presentation, diagnosis and...Read More
Annika Ehrlich: Member Spotlight
January’s Member Spotlight, Ehrlich highlights the importance of the Nurse Practitioner’s role in migraine care This month, the American Headache Society is proud to spotlight Annika Ehrlich, MS, FNP-C, CN RN. Ehrlich’s work as a nurse practitioner focuses on adult headache care. She is involved with a number of the Society’s Special Interest Sections (SIS), including Advanced Practice Providers; Complementary & Integrative Medicine; Procedural Headache Medicine; Refractory, Inpatient and Emergency Care; Underserved Populations in Headache Medicine; Advocacy, and Women's Health. Ehrlich says that part of the NP’s role is not only caring for patients with headache disorders, but also to...Read More
Ubrogepant, First Oral CGRP Receptor Antagonist or Gepant, Approved by FDA
American Headache Society shares breaking news regarding new treatments approved or cleared by the FDA. On December 23, 2019, the FDA approved ubrogepant (UBRELVY™) for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. This is the first oral CGRP receptor antagonist, or gepant, approved by the FDA. “With every FDA approval for a migraine-specific medication, our arsenal to fight this disease is rapidly expanding,” says Amaal Starling, MD, FAHS, assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic and member of the American Headache Society. “The FDA approval of ubrogepant is ground breaking because this is the first...Read More
Magnesium Sulfate for Acute Headache Treatment
Deena Kuruvilla, MD, evaluates a recent Headache® article and discusses the use of nutraceuticals in headache medicine A systematic review recently published in the journal Headache® is important in demonstrating what kind of natural approaches can be used to treat headaches, such as magnesium sulfate for acute headache treatment, compared with prescription medications, according to Deena Kuruvilla, MD. Andrew Miller, MD, of the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine and colleagues gathered existing studies on the use of intravenous magnesium sulfate for treating acute headaches in the emergency department. They sought to determine if patients experienced better pain control,...Read More
The 2019 Scottsdale Headache Symposium in Review
Highlights from headache medicine’s premier educational event Between Nov. 21 and 24, more than 1,200 healthcare providers and researchers met at the 2019 Scottsdale Headache Symposium (#AHSAZ) in Arizona to discuss the latest in headache medicine. The Symposium provides a forum for cutting-edge research and insights intended to further headache medicine and improve patient care. The pre-meeting courses included an anatomy lesson on headache and orofacial pain. There was also a course on integrating advanced practice providers and behavioral therapists into a practice. Nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants involved in the care of patients with headache disorders attended The Bridge,...Read More
Gregory Dussor: Member Spotlight
This month’s spotlight honoree discusses his laboratory work and the need for more research scientists in the American Headache Society Our December member spotlight is Gregory Dussor, PhD. An AHS member since 2012, Dussor is an associate professor in Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Dussor’s current research focuses on uncovering pathological mechanisms and therapeutic targets for migraine. He did not, however, set out to explore migraine or headache disorders in a research laboratory setting. “My initial focus was on acute and chronic pain, which is clearly very different in many ways,” he says....Read More
Gender Inequality in Headache Medicine: What Not to Say
A list assembled for a recent issue of Headache® deals with negative remarks often directed at female healthcare professionals—and how to address them Female physicians and healthcare professionals face a number of gender-related obstacles throughout their careers. This is a problem for the field of medicine in general—and neurology and headache medicine are not immune to it. These are universal experiences for women throughout the healthcare field. So, Clarimar Borrero-Mejias, MD, and colleagues recently published a list of common microaggressions—and how to address them—in the journal Headache®. The list is intended to give male and female professionals an idea of...Read More