Northern Beaches Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Case Report
Status Migrainosus: Refractory Headache in a Woman with Pre-eclampsia
Author(s): Grace Swain*, Natasha Gerbis and Georgina Davis
Headaches in pregnancy are common and carry a range of differential diagnoses. When faced with this diagnostic
conundrum, it is important to consider and exclude sinister aetiologies such as pre-eclampsia and hemorrhagic
stroke. A differential diagnosis of migraine is also warranted, given the high burden of migraine in young women.
We report a case of refractory headache in a primiparous woman, resulting in an admission to the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU), requiring multiple antihypertensive medications despite a negative preeclampsia screen. The
woman was ultimately diagnosed with status migrainosus, resolving with the administration of a Chlorpromazine
infusion. We highlight the difficulties involved in identifying and treating severe headaches in pregnant women. .. View More»