Treatment of acute migraine attack: ibuprofen and placebo compared

Abstract

The efficacy of ibuprofen in comparison with that of placebo was assessed in the treatment of acute migraine attacks. The material consisted of 40 migraine patients. Each treatment period continued for five migraine attacks. The initial dose of ibuprofen was 800 mg, with additional 400 mg taken if and when needed. The mean duration of migraine attacks treated with ibuprofen was significantly shorter than the duration of migraine attacks treated with placebo. Need for supplementary medication was also significantly lower in the ibuprofen-treated migraine attack group. Ibuprofen was well tolerated and no marked side effects were reported during the trial.