title: [Triptan use in general practice: a French pharmacoepidemiological study].
abstract: This French pharmacoepidemiological study describes triptan use in general practice for triptan 'naive' (never treated by a triptan before study inclusion) and 'non-naive' (already treated by a triptan) patients. Data from 1774 patients were analysed (81% women). The mean age of the patients was 41 years (+/-12.8). This study showed that 95% of the patients had a diagnosis of migraine according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria. This result confirmed the effective use of triptans by general practitioners. Migraines in patients treated with triptans in the present study were more severe than in subjects reporting migraine in the general population. 'Naive' and 'non-naive' patients had similar IHS diagnoses and severity profiles but, for 'non-naive' patients, the migraine history was longer and the disability (quality of life) reported was worse than for the 'naive' patients. The reasons for the treatment switch were the need for improved efficacy, a faster onset of action, fewer recurrences and better tolerability.
authors.affiliation: Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, INSERM U586, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sénard
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nachit-Ouinekh
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Becq
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chastan
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: Abdelkader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Hasnaoui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D012702:Serotonin Antagonists