INTRODUCTION:

Within a population studies, the older adults in one with the greatest, and Colombia is not unaware of this trend. Therefore the study of headache in the elderly (>65 years) is a diagnostic and challenge in neurology .Although the primary headaches are the most prevalent, but it should be noted there is an increase in secondary causes.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the etiology of primary and secondary headache in patients over 65 years of age.

Materials and methods: Descriptive and retrospective study by reviewing medical records in which the causes of primary and secondary headache were determined according to the International Classification of Headache 3rd Edition (IHS) and some of its characteristics. The search for these patients is done through the hospital statistics and epidemiology service as well as the own bases of the neurology service.

RESULTS:

Were incluyed 727 patients, the average age was 72.4 years, with a predominance of headache in women (70, 4%); 352 (48.42%) met criteria for primary headache (PC) and 375 (51.58%) for secondary headache (CS).

The most frequent causes of CS were Headache attributed to disorders of homeostasis (CADH) 23%, headache attributed to disorders of the neck (CADC) 15, 7%, headache attributed to cranial or cervical vascular disorders (CADV). The most frequent causes of primary headache were migraine without aura (MSA) 34%, migraine with aura (MCA) 26% and headache type tension (CTT) 21%.

CONCLUSION:

In our group of patients, we found a higher frequency of secondary headache in patients over 65 years of age. Secondary headaches of vascular and homeostatic origin should always be sought in people over 65 years in our hospital.

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