The safety of sumatriptan in asthmatic migraineurs

A recent report has questioned the safety of sumatriptan in asthmatic migraineurs. To investigate this, we have reviewed the sumatriptan clinical trial safety database of over 75 completed trials. Within the clinical trial database, 375 asthmatic patients were identified who treated 1214 migraine attacks with sumatriptan. The incidence and nature of adverse events in the asthmatic patient subgroup who received sumatriptan was similar to that in the complete clinical trial population. Six reports of asthma were recorded as adverse events, but only one case was classified by the investigator as related to treatment. There is no clinical or pharmacological evidence to suggest that the safety profile of sumatriptan is altered in asthmatic patients compared to other migraine sufferers.