Prof Lauren Sanders
Biography
A/Prof Lauren Sanders (she/her) is a neurologist and Head of Stroke at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne with expertise in stroke, headache and neuromuscular conditions. She is immediate past Chair of the Division of Medicine (SVHM), Education Committee Chair for the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society and is currently contributing to development of International Headache Society (IHS) Guidelines for management of migraine in the Emergency Department. Her PhD examined management of Transient Ischaemic Attack and she is a member of the IHS Headache and Vascular Disorders special interest group. A/Prof Sanders holds a Master of Clinical Education and is an accredited supervisor with the RACP.
Headaches at midlife
Headache is the leading cause of disability in women under the age of 55 worldwide with over 100 genetic loci now identified in association with migraine. Although the exact mechanism of migraine is still unclear, there have been recent advances in understanding migraine as a sensory processing disorder with symptoms driven by metabolic flux and energy demand mismatch.
For a person with a genetic predisposition to migraine, anything that puts an excess energy demand on the body may trigger or exacerbate migraine. This can include factors as varied as physiological disturbance, hormonal fluctuations and stress to changes in the weather or poor quality sleep. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that many women experience a worsening of headache and migraine in midlife.
This presentation will provide an introduction to understanding headache in midlife. This will include a practical overview of assessing and managing headache & migraine, with a focus on developing an individualised care plan.