“It’s important for physicians, especially primary care physicians, who most often treat Migraine patients, to be aware that medications containing opioids or barbiturates have the potential to produce drug dependence and addictive behavior, especially with regular use,” said Richard B. Lipton, M.D., professor and vice chair of neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and director of the Montefiore Headache Center. “FDA-approved medications such as triptans are specifically targeted to treat Migraine pain and associated symptoms and have a far better safety profile.”
The survey of 502 patients and 201 primary care physicians and neurologists conducted earlier this year found that:
- 53 percent of Migraine patients take triptans as the primary prescription medication for their condition
- 20 percent take barbiturates or opioids
- another 27 percent take other medications
- patients taking triptans are significantly more likely than those taking barbiturates or opioids to report that their medication works well at relieving Migraine symptoms
- sixty percent of triptan patients reported that it describes their medication “extremely” or “very” well to say it relieves their Migraines symptoms completely
- 42 percent of patients taking barbiturates and opioids reported that it describes their medication “extremely” or “very” well to say it relieves their Migraines symptoms completely
- four out of five patients (82%) have taken more than one prescription medication for their Migraines
- the average number of medications a patient has taken to treat Migraine attacks is four (treatment for attacks, not prevention)
Patients taking opioids and barbiturates for their Migraines also:
- reported a lower quality of life than patients taking triptans
- were twice as likely as patients taking triptans to
- say that Migraines “always” limited their ability to exercise or play sports (35% vs. 14%)
- engage in sexual activity (33% vs. 17%)
- drive a car (28% vs. 14%)
- spend time with family and friends (28% vs. 8%)
- or simply get out of the house (33% vs. 15%).
