Pharmacologic treatment of migraine. Critical review of the literature

The current aim of migraine treatment is to control attacks and reduce their frequency and intensity. Numerous drugs have been experimented in the pharmacological treatment of migraine, often with positive results. Almost always, only the main action mechanism can be hypothesised and sometimes drugs seem to act with very different mechanisms. Here mention is made of the principles, symptomatic and preventive, on which the pharmacological treatment of migraine is based. The drugs used in the two types of treatment are examined in terms of their action mechanism and their pharmacological group. Particular attention is paid to indications, contraindications and limitations of each treatment and the results reported in the literature are reviewed. For optimal treatment, prevention is considered indispensable for controlling symptomatology and preventing the pain becoming chronic. Correct preventive action also serves to avoid constant resort to symptomatic drugs, particularly analgesics, for which the risk of developing dependence or headache upon suspension of treatment is described.