Premium
Migraine: A Comprehensive Review of New Treatment Options
Author(s) -
Weitzel Kristin W.,
Thomas Michele L.,
Small Ralph E.,
Goode JeanVenable R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1592/phco.19.11.957.31569
Subject(s) - rizatriptan , sumatriptan , migraine , medicine , zolmitriptan , dihydroergotamine , triptans , intensive care medicine , migraine treatment , cluster headache , clinical trial , headaches , etiology , anesthesia , psychiatry , receptor , agonist
Headaches are among the most common complaints reported to health care professionals and are classified by the International Headache Society as migraine, tension‐type, or cluster, with additional subtypes. Classification and etiology of headache should be determined after thorough review of the patient's history. Once diagnosed, migraine can be treated by preventive or abortive measures. Recent developments add new options, including availability of drugs for intranasal administration (sumatriptan, dihydroergotamine) and 5‐HT 1B/1D agonists (rizatriptan, zolmitriptan, naratriptan, eletriptan). Although placebo‐controlled trials are available, few comparative clinical trials of these agents have been conducted; however, important pharmacologic, pharmacokinetic, and clinical differences exist among the drugs.