Efficacy and Tolerability of Prochlorperazine Buccal Tablets in Treatment of Acute Migraine

• Published in: Headache 2002-10, Vol.42 (9), p.896-902
• Main Authors: Sharma, Sangeeta, Prasad, Atul, Nehru, Ravi, Anand, K. S., Rishi, R. K., Chaturvedi, Sujata, Bapna, J. S., Sharma, Deepika Rohtagi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Administration, Buccal; Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; buccal; Caffeine - administration & dosage; Cardiovascular system; Dopamine Antagonists - administration & dosage; Dopamine Antagonists - adverse effects; Double-Blind Method; Drug Combinations; ergotamine; Ergotamine - administration & dosage; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; migraine; Migraine Disorders - drug therapy; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; prochlorperazine; Prochlorperazine - administration & dosage; Prochlorperazine - adverse effects; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome; Tropical medicine; Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators
• ISSN: 0017-8748; 1526-4610
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2002.02210.x

Objectives.—To study the efficacy and tolerability of prochlorperazine (PCZ) management of acute migraine. Design and methods.—A double blind comparative study was conducted to assess the efficacy of buccal PCZ 3 mg compared with oral ergotamine tartarate 1 mg plus caffeine 100 mg (ERG) or placebo (buccal or oral) for treatment of acute migraine. In all, 114 episodes of acute migraine were evaluated. Patients graded symptoms on a four‐point scale before and up to 4 hours after treatment. The primary efficacy parameters included headache resolution within 2 hours (grade 3 or 2 to grade 0) and alleviation of other accompanying symptoms of migraine. The supplementary endpoints included improvement in quality of life (QOL). Results.—The percentage of patients reporting resolution of headache (to grade 0) was 51.4% for buccal PCZ and 21.7% for buccal placebo, 23.1% for oral ERG and 28.6% for oral placebo, headache tended to recur in both the placebo and ERG groups after initial improvement. Buccal PCZ was well tolerated; no signs of local irritation were evident, and patients found the formulation easy to use. Mild but transient sedation and drowsiness were observed in 41%. Conclusion.—In the present study, PCZ 3 mg via the buccal route produced faster improvement and greater efficacy than placebo (oral as well as buccal) or oral ERG. The global QOL score 2 hours after treatment scores was higher in the PCZ group. Buccal PCZ may represent a particularly effective alternative for acute migraine treatment.