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Use of Intravenous Valproate Sodium in Status Migraine
Author(s) -
Norton John
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2000.00133.x
Subject(s) - valproic acid , dihydroergotamine , migraine , medicine , nausea , acute migraine , anesthesia , intensive care medicine , epilepsy , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology , placebo
Patients with migraines have typically been given one group of medications for abortive treatment and another for preventative. In the acute situation when the patient has severe nausea it is difficult to administer medications. Intravenous medications would avoid this problem but are limited to the opiates and dihydroergotamine. The following cases demonstrate the acute treatment of migraine with intravenous valproic acid (Depacon). The oral form of valproic acid has been used as a prophylactic agent, but the intravenous form may provide an alternative for abortive care as well. The ease of administration and lack of side effects are also important considerations. Double‐blind studies will help clarify the situation.