Triptans in the Treatment of Migraine

Abstract

Migraine is a neurovascular disease, which pathogenesis is still unclear. It causes a severe headache and a substantial financial loss due to absenteeism, therefore, its effective treatment is particularly valuable. Triptans, selective 5HT1B and D receptor agonists, are effective treatment choices of acute migraine attacks. Migraine patients, who bear special conditions such as hypertension, hepatic or renal impairment, constitute a special subgroup of patients whose treatment with triptans has to be individually arranged. The review of Kalanuria and Peterlin, regarding the metabolism and efficacy of zolmitriptan in the abortive treatment of migraine, highlights many details of the use of zolmitriptan in migraine patients.