Sex- and Gender-Specific Aspects of Migraine Treatment

Abstract

Migraine prevalence is three times higher in women than in men, which is mainly due to sex hormone differences. Hormonal fluctuations related to the menstruation and menopausal transition phase are associated with increased incidence of migraine attacks. Especially migraine attacks triggered by hormonal changes are more resistant to pharmacological treatment. This chapter describes the current knowledge on the role of hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle in migraine patients. Further, specific treatments for pure menstrual migraine, menstrually related migraine, and perimenopausal migraine are discussed.