title: Sumatriptan in patients with postdural puncture headache.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of sumatriptan in the management of patients presenting for an epidural blood patch for the management of postdural puncture headache.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Postdural puncture headache can be quite severe, requiring invasive therapy (ie, epidural blood patch). Sumatriptan has been used successfully in patients with postdural puncture headache, however, its use has not been investigated in a controlled fashion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with postdural puncture headache presenting for an epidural blood patch were given either saline or sumatriptan subcutaneously. The severity of the headache was evaluated at baseline and 1 hour following injection. If the headache remained severe, an epidural blood patch was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one patient in each group received relief from the injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We do not recommend sumatriptan in patients who have exhausted conservative management of postdural puncture headache.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 01199, USA.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Connelly
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D017217:Blood Patch, Epidural; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D018170:Sumatriptan