Safety and tolerability of the novel 5-HT1B/1D agonist rizatriptan in migraineurs

Several clinical studies have been carried out to determine the efficacy of the recently developed 5-HT1B/1D agonist, rizatriptan, for the treatment of acute attacks of migraine. In the course of these studies, the safety and tolerability of these treatments have also been in investigated. Consistently across trials, the incidence of clinical adverse experiences was mild or moderate in intensity and transient in nature, The most common clinical adverse experiences (dizziness, somnolence, asthenia/fatigue, and nausea) in patients receiving rizatriptan 5 mg were mild and similar to those observed in patients on placebo, increasing modestly in patients on rizatriptan 10 mg, The incidence of adverse experiences did not increase notably following treatment of headache recurrences with up to tyro additional doses within 24 hours of the initial attack. No clinically significant electrocardiographical effects of oral rizatriptan given as a 5- or 10-mg dose could be demonstrated in patients,vith migraine. The incidence of chest pain on rizatriptan 5 or 10 mg was similar to that in patients on placebo, Adverse laboratory findings were not observed. Data collected in long-term studies indicate that oral rizatriptan 5 or 10 mg used intermittently for up to 1 year is well-tolerated. In conclusion, the 5-HT1B/1D agonist, rizatriptan, possesses a desirable clinical profile with good tolerability/safety and may represent a further advance in the treatment of acute migraine attacks.