The diagnosis and management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension and the associated headache

Abstract

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a challenging disorder with a rapid increasing incidence due to a close relation to obesity. The onset of symptoms is often insidious and patients may see many different specialists before the IIH diagnosis is settled. A summary of diagnosis, symptoms, headache characteristics and course, as well as existing evidence of treatment strategies is presented and strategies for investigations and management are proposed.

Keywords: acetazolamide; headache; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; visual loss.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.

Percentage of patients and their presenting symptoms in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, modified from Wall and colleagues [Wall et al. 2014a].

Figure 2.

Proposal of a diagnostic work-up and strategy in patients with possible idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Figure 3.

Proposal of a stratified treatment strategy for idiopathic intracranial hypertension according to symptom severity.