Intravenous versus rectal prochlorperazine in the treatment of benign vascular or tension headache: a randomized, prospective, double-blind trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of i.v. and PR prochlorperazine for treatment of acute benign vascular or tension headache.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.


METHODS
University emergency department with 50,000 annual census.


METHODS
Forty-five adult patients enrolled on 46 visits.


METHODS
Patients received 10 mg prochlorperazine i.v. and placebo suppository or 25 mg prochlorperazine PR and placebo injection. Pain assessment was made using a 10-cm visual-analog scale; scores were analyzed using Wilcoxon/Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum tests (alpha of .01).


RESULTS
Mean 60-minute pain scores for i.v. and PR groups were 0.6 and 3.5, respectively (P = .0002). Two patients (8.7%) in the i.v. group and six patients (26.1%) in the PR group required rescue analgesia (P = .12).


CONCLUSIONS
i.v. prochlorperazine appears to provide more effective relief than PR prochlorperazine for benign vascular or tension headaches.
Department of Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina.
S H
SH
Thomas
C K
CK
Stone
V G
VG
Ray
T W
TW
Whitley
D000208:Acute Disease; D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011346:Prochlorperazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014653:Vascular Headaches / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D011346:Prochlorperazine