Protocolo de sospecha y diagnóstico de la cefalea secundaria

There are numerous processes, both neurological and systemic, that can progress with cephalea. A suspicion of secondary cephalea is essential for the diagnosis of severe diseases that require urgent care. As a general rule, a sudden onset, growing intensity, a change in the characteristics of the primary cephalea and its onset in an elderly patient should alert us to the symptomatic nature of the pain. The current categorization of headaches (International Classification of Headache Disorders, ICHD-III) divides them into secondary to cranial or spinal trauma, to vascular processes, nonvascular intracranial processes, administration or suppression of a substance, hemostatic abnormalities, structural abnormalities of the cranium or neck (eyes, ears, teeth, etc.) and psychiatric disorders.