Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for acute migraine treatment.

While the “triptans”—eg, sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt), eletriptan (Relpax)—have received more promotion and attention over the 2 decades since they first became available for general use, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) long have been a mainstay of treatment for acute migraine headache. Perhaps the best known of the NSAIDs frequently used for that purpose are ibuprofen (eg, Advil, Motrin), and naproxen sodium (eg, Aleve, Anaprox), both available in over-the-counter/non-prescription and prescription preparations—but flurbiprofen, diclofenac potassium (eg, Cataflam), and others also have been demonstrably effective in treating acute migraine headache. Indomethacin (eg, Indocin) is another NSAID widely used for the treatment of migraine and other primary headache disorders, and Cambia, a new powdered formulation of diclofenac potassium that is to be dissolved in water and taken as an oral solution, recently was found to be effective for treating moderate or severe acute migraine headache in 2 large clinical trials.