Treatment of cluster headache attacks with less than 6 mg subcutaneous sumatriptan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Subcutaneous (SQ) sumatriptan 6 mg is effective in the treatment of acute cluster headache attacks. However, patients sometimes benefit from a dose less than 6 mg.

OBJECTIVE:

Therefore, we designed a prospective open study to evaluate how many patients benefit from a dose less than 6 mg SQ sumatriptan.

METHODS:

We enrolled 81 consecutive patients with cluster headache and recorded their use of SQ sumatriptan and oxygen. Patients regularly using SQ sumatriptan 6 mg were advised to treat attacks with doses less than 6 mg and with oxygen. Efficacy and side effects of the different treatment options (6 mg, 3 mg, 2 mg, and oxygen) were evaluated.

RESULTS:

As a result, 74% of the patients using SQ sumatriptan 3 mg showed efficacy and 89% reported efficacy after 2 mg. Seventy-nine percent reported side effects after the use of SQ sumatriptan 6 mg (29% severe side effects). After the use of 2 mg SQ sumatriptan, only 50% of the patients reported side effects, none of these were classified as severe. Patients' preference was 41% for 6 mg sumatriptan, 28% for doses less than 6 mg, and 31% for oxygen.

CONCLUSIONS:

We conclude that sumatriptan in doses less than 6 mg can be effective in the acute treatment of cluster headache attacks. We suggest that patients should have experience in their individual efficacy of sumatriptan doses less than 6 mg.

• Authors: Nora Gregor, Christian Schlesiger, Esra Akova-Oztürk, Christoffer Kraemer, Ingo-Wilhelm Husstedt, Stefan Evers
• Journal: Headache (Headache) Vol. 45 Issue 8 Pg. 1069-72 (Sep 2005) ISSN: 0017-8748 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16109122 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Serotonin Receptor Agonists
• Sumatriptan
• Oxygen

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Administration, Inhalation
• Adult
• Cluster Headache (drug therapy)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Injections, Subcutaneous
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxygen (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Serotonin Receptor Agonists (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Sumatriptan (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome