Almotriptan for the acute treatment of adolescent migraine

Abstract

Importance of the field: 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.

Areas covered in this review: 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.

What the reader will gain: 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.

Take home message: Almotriptan is a safe, effective, and approved agent for the acute treatment of migraine headache in adolescents.

Keywords::

• adolescents
• almotriptan
• headache
• migraine
• treatment