CNS OTC Flashcards
what are OTC analgesics used to treat?
- Mild to moderate pain
- Somatic pain
- Headache
- Dysmenorrhoea
what are the OTC analgesics?
- Paracetamol
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
- Codeine/dihydrocodeine
combination products - Naproxen
- Topical formulations (rubefacients, NSAIDs,
freezing agents and local anaesthetics)
what are the different types of headache?
- Migraine
- Tension headache
- Cluster headaches
- Temporal arteritis
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Chronic daily headache
- Sinusitis
what is a migraine?
Migraine is a primary episodic headache disorder. It is characterised by episodic severe headaches (commonly, but not always unilateral, and often described as throbbing or
pulsating), with associated symptoms such as photophobia phonophobia and nausea and vomiting
what are the characteristics of a migraine with aura?
- With neurological symptoms
- Alterations in vision (prodromal phase)
- Tingling/numbness (paraesthesia)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Relief from lying in a darkened room
- 3 x more common in women than men
what are the characteristics of a migraine without aura?
Absence of neurological symptoms
* No pro-dromal phase
* Both sides of head may be affected.
* GI symptoms may occur
what are the common trigger factors for a migraine?
- Dietary
- Hormonal
- Physical
- Environmental
- Psychological
what are the 3 phases of a migraine?
1- prodromal phase/ aura
2- attack
3- resolution phase/ postdromal phase
what are the initial prodromal symptoms of a migraine?
- Mood variation
- Yawning
- Food cravings
- Fluid retention
what are the aura symptoms of a migraine? how long does it last?
– last <1 hour
* Flashing lights/arc of light
* Blind spot
* Numbness and tingling sensation
* Weakness
* Clumsiness
what are the symptoms during a migraine attack?
- Severe headache
- Throbbing/pulsing pain
- Usually unilateral
- Nausea & vomiting
- Photophobia
- Phonophobia
symptoms during resolution of a migraine?
- Symptoms fade slowly
- Headache becomes less
severe
what are the postdromal symptoms of a migraine?
- Hangover effect
- Fatigue
- Depressed mood
- Migraine is also associated with an increased risk of depression, bipolar affective disorder, anxiety disorder, and
panic disorder
what is the prophylactic treatment for a migraine?
- Fever few/Riboflavin/Magnesium/Aspirin 75mg daily
- There is very little/no evidence base to support any of these!
- Recommended prophylactic treatment on prescription include: topiramate (note: teratogenic), propranolol or amitriptyline
What are the OTC analgesics used to treat migraines?
- paracetamol
- aspirin
- ibuprofen
- codeine, dihydrocodeine
why should we be cautious when giving codeine/ DHC?
as it can contribute to gastric status- can cause constipation
what anti-emetics are there for migraines?
- buclizine (pink Migraleve)
- prochloperazine (Bucastem M) - blocks
the chemoreceptor trigger zone, quelling N&V
what is a migraine specific treatment?
- Triptans or selective 5-HT agonists
how do triptans work?
- Constrict blood vessels that are dilated during an attack
Acts on four common symptoms – headache,
photophobia, phonophobia and nausea
what is the supply criteria for sumatriptan?
o Migraine must be diagnosed by a doctor or pharmacist
o Simple analgesics tried and ineffective
o Plus….
* Aged 18 – 65 years
* Established and stable pattern of migraine, with or without aura…..
* Migraine for at least one year
* Had at least 5 or more attacks
when should you be precautious about using a triptan?
– SSRI/SNRI
– St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
– combined oral contraceptives
* Heart disease risk factors (contraindicated in
patients who have three or more risk factors
i.e. diabetes, high cholesterol levels,
smoking/use of NRT)
who is contraindicated for triptans?
- Those under 18 or over 65,
- Pregnant or breastfeeding,
- CV disease or hypertension and those with 3 or more CV risk factors, history of stroke, renal or hepatic impairment,
- Epilepsy or history of seizures,
- MAOIs in last 2 weeks,
- Known triptan allergy.
how should you use sumatriptan?
- 1 tablet should be taken ASAP at the first signs of a migraine headache.
- Symptoms return after initial relief - a 2nd tablet may be taken after at least 2hrs.
- Max 2 tablets in 24hrs and no more than 2 tablets to be taken for same attack.
- If the 1st tablet does not give any relief then a 2ndshould not be taken (this means it’s a headache not a migraine).
- Warn patients not to take as a prophylactic
treatment!
what counselling should you give for a migraine?
- Avoid trigger factors
- Immediate analgesic use
- Sleep
- Dark & quiet environment
- Hot/cold compress
- Prescribed treatment & prophylaxis
what are the causes of a tension headache?
- Posture
- Emotional stress
- Anxiety
- Prolonged
concentration - Fatigue
what are the symptoms of a tension headache?
- dull persistent pain
- Pressure/tight band
around head - dizziness
- fatigue
- sweating
- mild nausea
what OTC treatments are available for tension headache?
- Simple analgesics
- Syndol Tablets
- syndol headache relief (doxylamine succinate)
how should you counsel someone on a tension headache?
- Identifying causes – eg. computer screens???
- stress management
- Exercise/yoga
- massage
what are the characteristics of a cluster headache?
- severe boring pain around eye
- more common in men and tend to start their 30s or 40s
- unilateral pain
- blocked nostril
- hot, reddened cheek
- last 15mins-3 hrs
- similar time of day
- Refer to GP
what are the characteristics of temporal arteritis?
- severe pain around temples
- continuous/intermittent
- throbbing/steady
- red, prominent temporal artery
- jaw pain
- partial or complete loss of vision
- immediate referral
what are the characteristics of trigeminal neuralgia?
- nerve pain
- unilateral
- sudden & severe
- shooting pain
- lasts for up to 2 mins
- several attacks per day
- painful to touch
- Refer for treatment with
carbamazepine/pregabalin
how would you define a chronic daily headache?
> 4 hours on > 15 days per month
what causes a chronic daily headache?
Analgesic/opioid/caffeine dependence
Rebound withdrawal symptoms
how do you treat chronic daily headache?
Restrict opioid analgesic use to up to 3 days to
prevent these headaches
* Break the cycle of analgesic use - slow steady
reduction in opioid dose
what is sinusitis?
Defined as symptomatic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses…ie swelling of the mucosal lining
what triggers sinusitis?
Usually triggered by viral infection - a secondary bacterial infection could potentially develop (2% of cases)
what are the characteristics of sinusitis?
- Pressure buildup which causes pain.
- Usually unilateral or central, behind and between the eyes.
- Worse on bending forwards or lying down
how do you treat sinusitis?
Treat OTC with pain killers/decongestants/saline nasal wash or
drops
what is the headache red flags?
- migraine with COC
- frequent migraine/treatment failure
- severe headache of > 4 hrs duration
- suspected ADR
- associated neck stiffness, visual disturbance
- associated with injury/trauma
- children under 12 years