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CC BY 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2025; 83(09): s00451809332
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809332
Point of View

Calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies and medication-overuse headache: stopping excessive pain medication is still necessary

Pedro Augusto Sampaio Rocha-Filho 
1   Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Área Acadêmica de Neuropsiquiatria, Recife PE, Brazil.
2   Universidade de Pernambuco, Hospital Universitário Oswaldo Cruz, Serviço de Neurologia, Recife PE, Brazil.
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Abstract

Medication-overuse headache affects 1 to 2% of the global population and is often associated with chronic migraine. This condition significantly impacts the lives of patients, as well as their families, and it poses a major economic burden due to lost productivity and medical costs. The present narrative review is part of a controversy session. We argue that reversing the behavior of overusing symptomatic pain medications is important for the treatment of this type of headache. To support this argument, the article reviews and critically analyzes the relevant literature on the subject.

Keywords

Headache - Headache Disorders, Secondary - Migraine Disorders - Tension-Type Headache - Therapeutics - Analgesics - Review

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.


Editor-in-Chief: Hélio A. G. Teive 0000-0003-2305-1073.


Associate Editor: Carlos Henrique Ferreira Camargo 0000-0002-3533-0347.


Guest Editor: Pedro Augusto Sampaio Rocha Filho 0000-0001-5725-2637.


This article is part of a debate series on Headache and Pain (CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies for Migraine), featuring different perspectives. Check out the other points of view: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0045-1809333 and https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0045-1809658.




Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 11. Februar 2025

Angenommen: 07. März 2025

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
28. Juli 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Pedro Augusto Sampaio Rocha-Filho. Calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies and medication-overuse headache: stopping excessive pain medication is still necessary. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2025; 83: s00451809332.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809332
 

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