Related Experiment Videos
Abortive headache therapy with intramuscular dihydroergotamine
1Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73120.
Headache
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Intramuscular dihydroergotamine mesylate effectively treated 71% of severe headaches when oral medications failed. This practical treatment is well-suited for medical offices, reducing reliance on narcotics and emergency visits.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Migraine and severe headache management often requires effective acute treatments.
- Oral medications are not always successful in aborting headache episodes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intramuscular dihydroergotamine mesylate for aborting acute headache episodes in an office setting.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 43 patients treated for 75 headache episodes over six months.
- Intramuscular dihydroergotamine mesylate (1 mg) was administered when oral treatments failed.
Main Results:
- Headaches were successfully aborted in 71% of episodes, with most responses occurring within 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Common side effects (61%) included sedation (25%) and nausea (24%), but were not serious.
- Headache relapse within 24 hours occurred in 13% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Intramuscular dihydroergotamine mesylate is an effective, cost-effective, and practical treatment option for acute headaches refractory to oral therapy.
- Its appropriate use can decrease the need for narcotic analgesics and emergency department visits.