Protocol to Ease Acute Cephalalgia in Emergency-department
Protocol to Ease Acute Cephalalgia in Emergency-department
The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of a therapeutic and global protocol to
 relieve cephalalgia is helpful in the emergency department of Grenoble University Hospital.
Cephalalgia is a very common symptom that justifies daily appointment in emergency
 department.

 Analgesic support, and especially use of oxygen and care of associated symptoms as nausea,
 photophobia or phonophobia, is very dependent on the physician.

 The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a global analgesic protocol of cephalalgia
 in emergency department.

 The investigators included 200 patients aged of 18 up to 55 years old coming in emergency
 department for headache. Pain (Visual analogic scale), nausea, photo or phonophobia are
 recorded each 15 minutes by the patient by using a self-assessment questionnaire. The final
 diagnosis is recorded by the physician in charge of patient, using International Headache
 Society criteria.

 First 100 patients(group 1) receive usual care.

 For the last 100 patients (group 2), physician in charge of patients are incited to use a
 formal protocol that include: putting the patient in a quiet spot, laying down on a
 stretcher, providing sound proof helmet and light blocking google, administering oxygen
 therapy 15 l/min during 15 min, and administering etiological headache adapted medication
 following learned society guidelines.

 Comparison of the data of this 2 groups shall help us to see if the investigators actual
 analgesic support of cephalalgia is efficient, and if it can be improved by this global
 analgesic protocol.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Complain about cephalalgia

 -  Age 28 to 55 years.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Fever > 38,0 °C

 -  History of breath disease, long term use of oxygen therapy, chronic obstructive
 pulmonary disease, dyspnea

 -  History of cranial traumatism, heart attack, cerebrovascular accident <3 month

 -  Inability to read or understand french.

 -  Pregnancy