A review of current treatments for migraine

Acute drug therapy is the mainstay of treatment for migraine sufferers, with prophylaxis reserved for those with frequent or severe attacks. The majority of treatments have been in use for many years, although their value is often poorly documented due to a lack of well-controlled trials undertaken with defined diagnostic criteria and study end-points. Analgesics with anti-emetics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and ergot derivatives are used for acute treatment. Recently, the selective 5-HT1 receptor agonist sumatriptan has become available and been shown to have significant benefits over traditional therapies for the acute treatment of migraine. Beta-blockers, flunarizine and 5-HT2 antagonists have been used for prophylaxis, and although many patients report a reduction in attack frequency, breakthrough attacks still occur.