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Mild Analgesics as an Alternative to Ergotamine in Migraine. A Comparative Trial with Acetylsalicylic Acid, Ergotamine Tartrate, and a Dextropropoxyphene Compound
Author(s) -
HAKKARAINEN HEIKKI,
QUIDING HANS,
STOCKMAN OLOV
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1980.tb01674.x
Subject(s) - propoxyphene , ergotamine , migraine , medicine , anesthesia , pharmacology , analgesic
The effect of ergotamine tartrate was compared with that of acetylsalicylic acid and a dextropropoxyphene compound (Doleron novum) on 525 acute migraine attacks in a double-blind crossover study of 25 adult female patients. Ergotamine tartrate and the dextropropoxyphene compound were equally effective and significantly superior to acetylsalicylic acid in preventing the attacks entirely. If the attacks were only partially prevented, the dextropropoxyphene compound was significantly superior to acetylsalicylic acid in making the attacks shorter and milder, while ergotamine tartrate did not differ significantly from acetylsalicylic acid or the dextropropoxyphene compound. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was lowest during treatment with the dextropropoxyphene compound. In the patients' overall preference, the dextropropoxyphene compound and ergotamine tartrate were significantly superior to acetyl-salicylic acid. In acute migraine the combination of dextropropoxyphene, a centrally acting analgesic, with acetylsalicylic acid and phenazone gives an alternative to ergotamine tartrate that is equally effective and causes less nausea and vomiting.