[Pharmacotherapy of headache with special reference to migraine]

Drug therapy is only one possibility to treat headache or migraine. In a migraine attack aspirin, acetaminophen, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen and mefenamic acid are used. Further more weak opiates, caffeine, metoclopramide and the new 5-HT1-receptor agonist sumatriptan are effective in the attack. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine are probably the most effective though their side effects are troublesome. For prophylactic treatment, the beta-adrenergic receptor blockers propranolol, metoprolol and atenolol are the drugs of first choice. Also calcium channel antagonists like flunaricine and antidepressant drugs like amitryptiline and doxepine are used.