Migraine Headaches

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Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Migraines
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Treatment

The physician analyzes the patient's migraine history to devise an appropriate treatment program. The goals of treatment are to prevent or reduce the number of migraines (called prophylactic treatment) and to alleviate symptoms and shorten the duration of the migraine (called abortive treatment).

Prophylactic Treatment

Preventative medication may be prescribed for patients who have frequent headaches (3 or more a month) that do not respond to abortive treatment. Studies have shown that as many as 40% of these patients may benefit from preventative treatment.

Using one medication (monotherapy) is tried first, but a combination of medicines may be necessary. Many of these medications have adverse side effects. If migraines become controlled, the dosage is often reduced or the drug discontinued.

Beta blockers (e.g., propranolol [Inderal®], atenolol [Tenormin®]) are the preferred medications. These drugs produce an effect on heart rate. They should not be taken by patients with asthma and should be used with caution in patients with diabetes.

Side effects include gastrointestinal upset, insomnia, low blood pressure (hypotension), slowed heart rate (bradycardia), and sexual dysfunction. Some beta blockers pass into breast milk and may cause problems in nursing infants.

Antiseizure drugs such as valproic acid (Depakote®), topiramate (Topamax®), and gabapentin (Neurontin®) may be used to treat migraine.

Side effects include nausea, gastrointestinal upset, sedation, liver damage, and tremors.

Calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, amlodipine [Norvasc®]) inhibit artery dilation and block the release of serotonin. They should not be taken by patients with heart failure or heart block.

Side effects include constipation, flushing, low blood pressure, rash, and nausea.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs; e.g., amitryptaline [Elavil®], nortryptaline [Pamelor®], desipramine [Norpramin®]) block serotonin reabsorption and take 2–3 weeks be effective.

Side effects include the following:

• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
• Urinary retention
• Sexual dysfunction
• Weight gain

High doses of TCAs have been implicated in seizures, stroke, and heart attack. Abrupt discontinuation of these medications may cause headache, nausea, and malaise, and may intensify side effects.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; e.g., paroxetine [Paxil®], fluoxetine [Prozac®], sertraline [Zoloft®]) are usually better tolerated than TCAs, but may not be as effective.

Side effects include nausea, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and loss of appetite.

Methysergide maleate (e.g., Deseril®, Sansert®) may be prescribed for patients with frequent, severe migraines.

Side effects include insomnia, drowsiness, lightheadedness, and hair loss. This drug should not be used by patients with coronary artery disease and must be discontinued for 3–4 weeks after 4–6 months of use because it can cause retroperitoneal fibrosis, a condition in which the blood vessels in the abdomen thicken, which reduces blood flow to organs.

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