EHC 2022 | Characterizing opioid use in a Dutch cohort with migraine

Although opioids are not effective in migraine, these medications are still prescribed. More than one-third of the 2,388 respondents in the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes (CaMEO) study who were using acute prescription medications for migraine used or kept opioids on hand. Opioid use among patients with migraine has been recognized as an issue in the US, but there is a lack of data in Europe. Gisela Terwindt, MD, PhD, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands, discusses a study that investigated opioid use among migraine subjects for the treatment of their headache. A cross-sectional study using a web-based questionnaire was performed in a Dutch cohort. In total, 13% of participants reported ever having used opioids for headache. Of all opioid users, 2% did so without a prescription. The differences between European and American treatment guidelines might explain the disparities observed in opioid use in migraine patients. This interview took place at the 16th European Headache Congress (EHC) in Vienna, Austria.

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