IngentaConnect Butalbital in the Treatment of Headache: History, Pharmacology, a...

Authors: Silberstein S.D.¹; McCrory D.C.²

Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, Volume 41, Number 10, November/December 2001 , pp. 953-967(15)

Abstract:

Analgesics containing butalbital compounded with aspirin, acetaminophen, and/or caffeine are widely used for the treatment of migraine and tension-type headache. The butalbital-containing compounds are efficacious in placebo-controlled trials among patients with episodic tension-type headaches. Despite their frequent clinical use for migraine, they have not been studied in placebo-controlled trials among patients with migraine. Barbiturates can produce intoxication, hangover, tolerance, dependence, and toxicity. Butalbital can result in intoxication that is clinically indistinguishable from that produced by alcohol. Butalbital-containing analgesics can produce drug-induced headache in addition to tolerance and dependence. Higher doses can produce withdrawal syndromes after discontinuation. Butalbital-containing analgesics may be effective as backup medications or when other medications are ineffective or cannot be used. Because of concerns about overuse, medication-overuse headache, and withdrawal, their use should be limited and carefully monitored.

Keywords: migraine; acute medication; butalbital; drug overuse; daily headache

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2001.01189.x

Affiliations: 1: From the Jefferson Headache Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa 2: Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, Duke University, Durham, NC

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$50.16 plus tax Refund Policy

Butalbital in the Treatment of Headache: History, Pharmacology, and Efficacy