title: Butalbital and pediatric headache: stay off the downward path.
abstract: Despite limited evidence from the literature surrounding safety or efficacy, butalbital-containing medicines (BCMs) have maintained their rank as "go-to" prescribed migraine and headache relief drugs in the United States, despite bans on these barbiturates in Germany and other European countries. Providers at the Pediatric Headache Program at Boston Children's Hospital recommend that clinicians prescribe triptan-based medications instead of BCMs, given the known negative side effects of BCMs on the general population, and the uncertain longitudinal trajectory of BCMs on developing brains.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Headache Program, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Waltham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazdowsky
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabner
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haberman
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LeBel
mesh_terms: D001463:Barbiturates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010372:Pediatrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001463:Barbiturates; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C004470:butalbital
keywords: butalbital; headache; pediatrics; triptan