Inpatient Management of Migraine in the United Kingdom: Current Practice, Evidence, and Future Directions.

Migraine is a major reason for emergency visits and hospital stays in the UK. Most migraine attacks respond well to treatments given outside the hospital. However, some patients experience severe cases needing inpatient care. These include status migrainosus and medication-overuse headache. This paper reviews effective inpatient strategies following NICE and BASH guidelines. The first step in treatment is often intravenous hydration if necessary. Next, doctors may use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antiemetics. Triptans are the preferred migraine-specific medication in these cases. For patients with severe or stubborn migraines, valproate and corticosteroids may be used. In specialized hospitals, peripheral nerve blocks and infusions of lidocaine or ketamine can provide additional relief. These strategies aim to improve patient outcomes and ensure effective management of severe migraine cases during hospital stays. Clinical relevance: This research highlights effective inpatient treatments for severe migraines, improving patient care and outcomes.