Planned release dihydroergotamine in common migraine and "tension-vascular headache": multicentre clinical trial

The antimigraine efficacy of dihydroergotamine methanesulphonate in the pharmaceutical form of planned release capsules has been evaluated. Forty-nine subjects were treated, 39 suffering from common migraine 10 from tension vascular headache, for a period of 90 days, with an oral dose of 15 mg twice daily. The product was found to be efficacious in 71% of the common migraine cases, while unsatisfactory or nil results were obtained in the remaining 29%. In the tension-vascular headache cases, efficacy was 40% compared to 60% unsatisfactory or nil results. Tolerance was good in 43 cases, while transient digestive disorders (nausea and vomiting) occurred in 6; in 2 cases the treatment had to be withdrawn for allergic erythema. The results demonstrate that the drug is indicated in cases of common migraine, while it does not appear to significantly influence the course of attacks of tension-vascular headache.