Almotriptan for the acute treatment of adolescent migraine.
BACKGROUND
Migraine is a common problem affecting 10 - 20% of adolescents. Its treatment has three fundamental components: bio-behavioral interventions, preventive measures, and acute drug therapy. In June 2009, the US FDA approved almotriptan, a 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist, for the acute treatment of migraine in adolescents aged 12-17 years--the first 'triptan' to be approved for adolescents.


METHODS
This review will provide an overview of migraine in adolescents focusing on epidemiology, pathophysiology, classification and a review of treatment options with attention on the evidence from the past 5 years surrounding almotriptan.


RESULTS
Given its recent FDA approval, it is important to for clinicians and pharmacists to become familiar with the clinical spectrum of migraine in teenagers and with recent evidence on this newly approved agent, almotriptan.


CONCLUSIONS
Almotriptan is a safe, effective, and approved agent for the acute treatment of migraine headache in adolescents.
Lewis
Donald W
DW
Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, 601 Children's Lane, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA. dlewis@chkd.org
D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014363:Tryptamines; C409045:almotriptan