Abortive therapy for migraines

Abortive medications, which are used to stop the process causing headache pain, are most effective when used at the first sign of a migraine. By stopping the headache process, abortive medications help prevent the pain, nausea, and light-sensitivity associated with migraine. Abortive medications work by constricting the blood vessels, bringing them back to normal and relieving the throbbing.

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Abortive medications include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• The [[triptan medications]] sumatriptan succinate (Imitrex), zolmitriptan (Zomig), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova), and eletriptan (Relpax)
• Ergotamine tartrate and caffeine (Cafergot)
• Dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE-45, Migranal)

A combination medication (Midrin)

Since these medications may cause side effects in some people, it's important to consult your doctor about your risks.

When migraine headaches last longer than 24 hours and other medications have been unsuccessful in managing the attacks, medication administered in an "infusion suite" can be considered. An infusion suite is a designated set of rooms at a hospital or clinic that is monitored by a nurse and where intravenous drugs are administered. The intravenous drugs are usually able to end the migraine attack. Patients' length of stay at the infusion suite can range from several hours to all day.