Open AccessRapid Responders to Frovatriptan in Acute Migraine Treatment: Results from a Long‐Term, Open‐Label Study
Author(s) -
Spierings Egilius L. H.,
Keywood Charlotte
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
pain medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1526-4637
pISSN - 1526-2375
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2009.00618.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tolerability , migraine , anesthesia , placebo , acute migraine , adverse effect , alternative medicine , pathology
Background. The chronic nature of migraine and the reliance on acute treatment constitute the basis of the present long‐term, open‐label study. Objectives. First, assessment of the tolerability and safety of frovatriptan, 2.5–7.5 mg taken orally over 24 hours, for the acute treatment of migraine, repeatedly over a 12‐month period. Second, assessment of the efficacy and tolerability of a second, double‐blind dose of 2.5‐mg frovatriptan, compared with placebo, for nonresponse at 2 hours after treatment of moderate or severe headache with 2.5‐mg frovatriptan. Results. With regard to the first attack treated, 173 (36%) of the 486 subjects in the study did not take a second dose at 2 hours for nonresponse. At 2 hours and 4 hours, these “rapid responders” experienced a decrease in headache intensity from moderate or severe to mild or no pain in 84% and 98%, respectively (“headache response”). Six percent of them experienced recurrence of moderate or severe headache within 24 hours following a response at 4 hours and 12% took rescue medication. The response, measured in terms of median time to “complete migraine relief,” was maintained over 30 subsequent migraine attacks, treated from attack 2 onwards over the course of 12 months. Conclusion. Frovatriptan provides a remarkably fast and high headache response in a subgroup of more than one‐third of migraineurs, with a very low 24‐hour headache recurrence and low rescue medication intake.