Abortive Prescription Drug Therapies for Migraine Headache Pain and Other Symptoms
Despite medical advances, migraines can be difficult to treat. About half of people with migraines stop seeking medical treatments for their headaches because they are dissatisfied with therapy.
This type of chronic headache can be treated with two approaches: abortive and preventive.
The goal of abortive therapy is to prevent an attack or to stop it once it starts. The prescribed medications stop a headache during its prodrome stage or once it has begun and may be taken as needed. Some can be administered as a self-injection into the thigh, wafers that melt on the tongue, or a nasal spray. These forms of medicines are especially useful for patients who vomit while experiencing the headache, and they work quickly.
Abortive migraine treatments include the triptans, which specifically target the chemical serotonin. The triptans are used only to treat headache pain and do not relieve pain from back problems, arthritis, menstruation, or other conditions.
Triptan medications include:
Sumatriptan (Imitrex)Sumatriptan/Naproxen (Treximet)Zolmitriptan (Zomig)Eletriptan (Relpax)Naratriptan (Amerge)Rizatriptan (Maxalt)Frovatriptan (Frova)Almotriptan (Axert)These drugs also are specific and affect serotonin, but they affect other brain chemicals as well. Occasionally, one of these drugs works when a triptan does not.
Ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot)Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45 Injection, Migranal Nasal Spray)Acetaminophen-isometheptene-dichloralphenazone (Midrin)These drugs are mainly used for nausea, but they sometimes he an abortive or preventive effect on headaches.
Prochlorperazine (Compazine)Promethazine (Phenergan)These drugs are weak members of the narcotic class. They are not specific for migraine, but they can help relieve almost any kind of pain. Since they are habit forming, they are less desirable choices than the headache drugs. These drugs should be used primarily as a "backup" for the occasions when a specific drug does not work.
Butalbital compound (Fioricet, Fiorinal)Acetaminophen and codeine (Tylenol with Codeine)