A Comparative Trial of Ergotamine Tartrate, Acetyl Salicylic Acid and a Dextropropoxyphene Compound in Acute Migraine Attacks

SYNOPSIS The effect of a dextropropoxyphene compound (Doleron(r)) was compared with that of ergotamine tartrate and acetyl salicylic acid on 525 acute migraine attacks in a double blind study of 25 adult female patients. Ergotamine and the dextropropoxyphene compound were approximately equally effective and significantly superior to acetyl salicylic acid in preventing the attacks entirely. In the cases in which the attack was only partially prevented, the dextropropoxyphene compound was more effective than ergotamine and acetyl salicylic acid in making the attacks milder and shorter. Side effects, especially gastrointestinal symptoms and fatigue, were less common with the dextropropoxyphene compound than from either of the two drugs. Probably for this reason, the patients' overall preference was clearly in favor of the dextropropoxyphene compound. The addition of dextropropoxyphene, a centrally active analgesic, to acetyl salicylic acid, gives an antimigraine compound which has an efficacy comparable with ergotamine but with less side effects.