Tension-type headache and hypertension phenotype: myth or reality

Objective. This review article provides an analysis of studies focusing on the problem of comorbid tension-type headache (TTH) and hypertension (HT). Key Points. A combination of headache and HT is common in clinical practice. The analysis of studies showed that 53.7% of hypertensive patients present with complaints of headache, and 30.7% of headache patients have HT in the anamnesis. The prevalence of HT is 1.9 times higher in TTH patients than in those with migraine. The results demonstrate the presence of two separate, but highly comorbid nosologies (HT and TTH) among study participants included in the review. Evaluation of research methodology showed that the discrepancies in the results may be explained by the differences in design and sample characteristics (degree and profi le of HT; duration of HT and TTH). Patients with mild HT do not have direct associations between headache and increased blood pressure. Blood pressure values do not diff er during, before, and after TTH paroxysm. HT is less prevalent in patients with episodic TTH compared with that in patients with chronic TTH. Conclusion. The analysis of available studies suggests that TTH + HT phenotype is a frequent condition, but its real prevalence rates require further studies.