[Symptomatic treatment of migraine with zolmitriptan: experience with 82 patients].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze our experience with the new, 5 mg intranasal formulation of zolmitriptan in the symptomatic treatment of migraine attacks.


METHODS
This series includes 82 patients who had treated an average of 7 migraine attacks. Eighty patients had taken oral triptans and 20 subcutaneous sumatriptan. The main reasons for using nasal zolmitriptan were: poor efficacy of oral triptans (41.5 % of the patients), use of subcutaneous sumatriptan (24.4%) or medical criteria (34.5%).


RESULTS
Among the 80 patients who had been treated with oral triptans, 50 (62.5 %) preferred nasal zolmitriptan, 14 (17.5 %) oral triptans and the remaining 16 (20 %) did not express any preference. The main reasons for this preference were shorter speed of action and better efficacy. Within those 20 patients who were using subcutaneous sumatriptan, 8 (40 %) preferred subcutaneous sumatriptan, 5 (25%) nasal zolmitriptan and 7 (35%) did not express any preference. The reasons for preference of intranasal zolmitriptan over subcutaneous sumatriptan were greater convenience, better tolerability and lower price. A total of 55 patients noticed efficacy within 60 min. Half experienced at least one adverse event, always mild. The most frequent were local: bad taste (n=23) or nasal irritation/itching (n=8).


CONCLUSIONS
The new intranasal formulation of 5 mg zolmitriptan is a good option for the symptomatic treatment of migraine, which could be considered as an intermediate between oral triptans and the subcutaneous formulation of sumatriptan.
Pascual
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Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca. juliopascual@telefonica.net
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D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D023303:Oxazolidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D023303:Oxazolidinones; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014363:Tryptamines; C089750:zolmitriptan