Combination therapy in acute migraine treatment: the rationale behind the current treatment options

Combination therapy is used to treat many disorders; for some conditions, it has become first-line treatment or the standard of care. The development and use of novel drug combinations will grow as the understanding of disease pathophysiology and drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics progresses. In the acute management of migraine, existing drug combinations have proven to be effective, safe, and tolerable. They may offer distinct advantages compared with monotherapy, including both enhanced therapeutic benefits and fewer adverse events (AEs). This article discusses the types of interactions that can occur with combination therapy and their potential effects on efficacy and tolerability. The rationale for using combination therapy will first be discussed within the context of clinical conditions in which it is already the standard of care. This will be followed by a discussion of the rationale for use in migraine.