Neurológia pre prax 2/2010

Migraine and hormonal contraception

Migraine in women is a hormonal conditioned diseases and its prevalence changes during the course of life. Migraines typically occur during menses (menstrual migraine). Hormonal changes (pregnancy, lactation, perimenopause, menopause) influence their appearance significantly. Women with menstrual migraine can profit from continual use of combined oral contraception (COC). Migraines with aura in females is more likely to worsen due to COC and are higher at risk of migraine stroke, especially with those who smoke. Administration of hormone replacement therapy leaves the frequency of preexisting migraine in more than half women unchanged. Estrogen replacement can be provocative for migraines with aura or isolated aura. Continuous regimen is recommended in combined hormone replacement therapy.

Keywords: migraine, estrogens, progestins, hormonal contraception.