Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (May 2011)
Concomitant Administration of Alprazolam and Ibuprofen in Acute Migraine Headache
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder and it leads patients to avoid any kind of activity. Since different factors are involved in migraine incidence and its triggers, a wide variety of drugs are used to prevent or treat. Combination therapy has shown its efficiency in treating migraine. In this study, we have taken the combination of ibuprofen and alprazolam as a probable efficient compound in reducing these headaches. METHODS: In this clinical trial study, 90 migraine patients were allocated in 3 groups of 30, with an average of 2-6 attacks in month underwent. These three groups were unified by age, gender and their drug histories. After receiving volunteer’s adhesion for taking part in this experiment, the first group were given a single dose of ibuprofen 200 mg, the second group were given a single dose of ibuprofen 400 mg and the third group were given a single dose of ibuprofen 200 mg in companion with alprazolam 0.5 mg. Headache severity, functional disability and associated symptoms of the patients were recorded before and two hours after taking each regimen and were graded from 0-3 points. Then three groups were compared. FINDINGS: In all 3 groups, the severity of the headaches were reduced significantly after the course of drug therapy with 36% of reduction in the first group, 46% in the second group, and 74% in the third group, respectively (p<0.0001). In the first group, nausea and vomiting were reduced from 92.3% to 22.3%, the second group from 96.7% to 13.3% and, finally the third group from 100% to 3.3% (p<0.0001). In addition, a significant reduction in photophobia and phonophobia was seen before and after taking the drugs (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The combination of ibuprofen 200 mg and alprazolam 0.5 mg had significantly reduced the severity of the migraine headaches.
