Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1973 Aug;36(4):684–690. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.36.4.684

Amitriptyline in migraine prophylaxis

Changes in pattern of attacks during a controlled clinical trial

James D Gomersall 1,2, Alice Stuart 1,2
PMCID: PMC494428  PMID: 4731336

Abstract

A double-blind controlled clinical trial of crossover design was conducted in 26 volunteers suffering from migraine. Of 20 subjects who completed the trial, 16 had fewer attacks on amitriptyline than on placebo. Amitriptyline was found to have the greatest effect in reducing attacks with a short warning and in which no specific cause could be recognized. It had least effect in attacks with a long warning and recognized as due to fatigue. The drug was effective only in reducing those attacks with shorter duration and its effect was irrespective of severity. A dosage of between 10 and 60 mg, usually taken at night, was found to be adequate.

Full text

PDF
684

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alexander C. S., Niño A. Cardiovascular complications in young patients taking psychotropic drugs. A preliminary report. Am Heart J. 1969 Dec;78(6):757–769. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(69)90442-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arthur G. P., Hornabrook R. W. The treatment of migraine with BC 105 (pizotifen): a double blind trial. N Z Med J. 1971 Jan;73(464):5–9. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Asberg M., Cronholm B., Sjöqvist F., Tuck D. Correlation of subjective side effects with plasma concentrations of nortriptyline. Br Med J. 1970 Oct 3;4(5726):18–21. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5726.18. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Braithwaite R. A., Goulding R., Theano G., Bailey J., Coppen A. Plasma concentration of amitriptyline and clinical response. Lancet. 1972 Jun 17;1(7764):1297–1300. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)91031-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carlsson A., Waldeck B. Rapid release of 3H-metaraminol induced by combined treatment with protriptyline and reserpine. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1965 May;17(5):327–328. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1965.tb07678.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Coull D. C., Crooks J., Dingwall-Fordyce I., Scott A. M., Wier R. D. Amitriptyline and cardiac disease. Risk of sudden death identified by monitoring system. Lancet. 1970 Sep 19;2(7673):590–591. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(70)90169-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dalsgaard-Nielsen T. Therapeutic results of prophylactic treatment for "classic" migraine with antaminic substance (B P 400 Sandoz). Headache. 1968 Apr;8(1):6–15. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1968.hed0801006.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Friedman A. P. The migraine syndrome. Bull N Y Acad Med. 1968 Jan;44(1):45–62. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Glowinski J., Axelrod J., Iversen L. L. Regional studies of catecholamines in the rat brain. IV. Effects of drugs on the disposition and metabolism of H3-norepinephrine and H3-dopamine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1966 Jul;153(1):30–41. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KIVALO E., RINNE U. K., KARINKANTA H. The effect of imipramine on the 5-hydroxytryptamine content and monoamine oxidase activity of the rat brain and on the excretion of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid. J Neurochem. 1961 Nov;8:105–108. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1961.tb13531.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. LANCE J. W., CURRAN D. A. TREATMENT OF CHRONIC TENSION HEADACHE. Lancet. 1964 Jun 6;1(7345):1236–1239. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)91866-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lance J. W., Anthony M., Gonski A. Serotonin, the carotid body, and cranial vessels in migraine. Arch Neurol. 1967 May;16(5):553–558. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1967.00470230105014. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lance J. W., Anthony M., Somerville B. Comparative trial of serotonin antagonists in the management of migraine. Br Med J. 1970 May 9;2(5705):327–330. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5705.327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mahloudji M. Prevention of migraine. Br Med J. 1969 Jan 18;1(5637):182–183. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5637.182-d. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shafar J., Tallett E. R., Knowlson P. A. Evaluation of clonidine in prophylaxis of migraine. Double-blind trial and follow-up. Lancet. 1972 Feb 19;1(7747):403–407. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)90855-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sjaastad O., Stensrud P. 2-(2.6-dichlorophenylamino)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride (ST 155 or Catapresan) as a prophylactic remedy against migraine. Acta Neurol Scand. 1971;47(1):120–122. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1971.tb07470.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Weissman L. Experimental design in headache treatment. Headache. 1971 Jan;10(4):166–171. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.1971.hed1004166.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wilkinson M. Clonidine for migraine. Lancet. 1969 Aug 23;2(7617):430–430. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)90131-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES