The mnemonic SNOOP can be used to identify worrisome findings in a patient with a secondary headache.
Patient selection: headache
Worrisome findings:
(S) systemic signs and symptoms (fever, weight loss, myalgias)
(S) systemic disease (cancer, AIDS, etc)
(N) neurologic signs and symptoms
(O) onset sudden (thunderclap)
(O) onset after the age of 40 years
(P) pattern change (change in type of headache, persistent without headache-free periods)
(P) a particular headache is the reason for the office visit
