Understanding the needs of migraine patients.

摘要

Although migraine is a highly disabling disorder, it remains underdiagnosed. Its relevance is often minimized by both patients and physicians, and the presence of concomitant diseases such as depression can interfere with diagnosis. Migraine is often inappropriately treated by patients who often self-administer over-the-counter analgesics or do not follow physician prescriptions, and by physicians who do not always prescribe migraine-specific treatments when they are indicated. These factors can lead to patient dissatisfaction with migraine therapy. Surveys show that migraine patients consider complete pain relief to be the most important attribute of an acute migraine treatment. Other important attributes are rapid onset, lack of recurrence, restoration of function, and the absence of side-effects. Medical professionals treating migraine need up-to-date clinical information to diagnose this disorder effectively, to understand the breadth of treatments available, and to choose the most appropriate treatment. Physician-patient communication is also a key factor in migraine management and allows physicians to gain the trust of their patients. Educating patients about migraine and involving them in treatment decisions are likely to improve patient satisfaction with therapy. Education and involvement will also help patients to understand their disorder better, to identify and avoid migraine triggers, and to improve their understanding of and compliance with drug therapy. Such an approach may also help physicians to manage patient expectations.