Premium
Overview of treatment of acute migraine
Author(s) -
Elkind Arthur H.,
Ishkanian Gary,
Mereddy Suresh R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.20213
Subject(s) - triptans , migraine , medicine , acute migraine , migraine treatment , intensive care medicine , alternative medicine , anesthesia , placebo , pathology
Acute migraine is a major public health problem with a significant economic burden secondary to short‐term disability and absenteeism. Treatment of acute migraine is always challenging for primary care physicians and family practitioners, as there are no set universal guidelines for the treatment of acute migraine. In acute migraine treatment, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), migraine‐specific medications, and adjunctive medications are used, depending on the severity of acute migraine attacks. Treatment of acute migraine has changed drastically since the introduction of the triptans. However, even after the introduction of triptans, nearly one‐half of migraine sufferers are still being treated with over‐the‐counter medications. In this literature review, we mention drugs that are being used in the treatment of acute migraine and their level of evidence recommended by the U.S. Headache Consortium. This article gives special emphasis to pharmacokinetics and clinical characteristics of all available triptans. Drug Dev Res 68:441–448, 2007. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.