Prescribing of Drugs for the Treatment of Migraine with Specific Emphasis on Sumatriptan
Health SA Gesondheid (Print)
; 9(4): 55-65, 2004.
Article
in English
| AIM (Africa)
| ID: biblio-1262574
Responsible library:
CG1.1
ABSTRACT
Migraine affects between 5.15of males and 13;5-31of females in South Africa. Little is known about the prescribing patterns of anti-migraine drugs in South Africa. The aim of the study was to investigate the prescribing of drugs for the treatment of migraine (ATC Group NOZC); with specific emphasis on sumatriptan; in a primary care patient population in South Africa; making use of a computerised prescription database. A total of 3 01 1 products for the treatment of migraine at a cost of R451559 were prescribed to 578 patients in the study over a period of one year (1996) since sumatriptan was the onlytriptan available in South Africa in 1996. The average age of patients was 48;40 (SD = 14;19) years; with 74;57ofpatients between 20 and 59 years of age. Approximately 80of patients were females. Female patients were prescribed 81;53of the products. Most drugs (67;55) were for the prophylaxis of migraine; of which clonidine andflunarizine were the most frequentlyprescribed. Of the drugs prescribedspecifically for the management of migraine; sumatriptan (575prescriptions to 103 patients) was the most frequently prescribed; followed by 400 prescriptions for ergotamine. Tablets were the preferred dosage form. Since migraine affects primarily the economically active sector of the community and its treatment is relatively expensive; pharmacists have an important role to play in managing and counselling migraine sufferers
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Health context:
SDG3 - Target 3.8 Achieve universal access to health
Health problem:
Delivery Arrangements
Database:
AIM (Africa)
Main subject:
Sumatriptan
/
Pharmacoepidemiology
/
Drug Utilization
/
Migraine Disorders
Language:
English
Journal:
Health SA Gesondheid (Print)
Year:
2004
Document type:
Article