Analgesic usage behaviours of patients with migraine

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this research was to determine analgesic usage behaviors of patients with migraine. Method: In this descriptive and cross-sectional type research,105 patients who applied to neurology polyclinic in a public hospital between the dates of 01 March- 30 June 2017, were diagnosed with migraine at least for 6 months and accepted to participate in the study were included. Data was collected by using Patient Identification Form, Visual Analogues Scale, Analgesic Usage Form and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS). In data evaluation, average, standard deviation, percentage distribution, chi-square and Fisher’s exact chi-square test were used. Results: It was determined that 58.1% of patients were at 4th stage according to MIDAS, one third of the patients (33.3%) were suffering from headache for 30- 90 days in the last three months and pain level of 29.5% of them were 9-10 point. It was stated that participants used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) firstly (70.8%) for headache attacks, 24.8% of them used analgesics four times a week and more and 66.7% of them used over the counter analgesics. While there is no difference between situations of getting information from nurses and doctors about the migraine, migraine types, pain level, using preventive medication against the migraine and type of analgesic used in patients with medication overuse or not (p>0.05), it was determined according to MIDAS that patients with the migraine suffering from headache for 30- 90 days in the last three months and at 4th stage used analgesics more (p