THE SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY OF SUMATRIPTAN - AN OVERVIEW

Safety information was pooled from 4,859 patients, mainly treated in controlled clinical trials with a dispersible tablet of sumatriptan or by a subcutaneous injection, and from 1,164 patients who received placebo by these routes. Safety monitoring involved collection of all adverse events, regardless of their relationship to treatment, and included routine laboratory screening tests and some special investigations. Individuals experienced several groups of symptoms that might be considered to be features of migraine itself or of the post-migraine period or due to treatment. The commonest complaints were an unpleasant taste or pain on injection. After oral sumatriptan (100-300 mg), some events (nausea, malaise) were characteristic of migraine and others (fatigue, sedation, weakness) were characteristic of the recovery period. With subcutaneous sumatriptan (4-8 mg) similar events were observed, but certain distinctive symptoms variously described as heaviness, pressure sensation, tingling, feelings of heat or warmth, were more common and affected various parts of the body. Their early onset and transient nature suggests some pharmacological mechanism, as yet not identified. Despite the mixed picture of symptoms recorded after treatment, they were not serious, they were transient and they were accepted by patients. Close patient monitoring allowed detailed evaluation of any possible cardiovascular side-effects as seen with other anti-migraine agents, particularly ergotamine. The evidence is reassuring but, since experience in patients with symptomatic ischaemic heart disease is limited, it is recommended that they should initially be treated with sumatriptan under medical supervision for their first two or three attacks. Caution should similarly be exercised when treating patients with uncontrolled severe hypertension. There is no evidence of interaction with other medicines likely to be co-administered, or of dependence liability. Sumatriptan offers an effective and well-tolerated remedy for migraine and cluster headaches.