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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> 3 attacks a day anyone?
        
(Message started by: LeLimey on Oct 18^th, 2005, 3:22pm)

Title: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by LeLimey on Oct 18^th, 2005, 3:22pm

Got this from OUCH UK so with grateful thanks to MikeP for posting it there...

This could be helpful for anybody having three attacks a day.

Rapid Efficacy for Treatment of Cluster Headache: Presented at IHS

By Claire Sowerbutt

KYOTO, JAPAN -- October 17, 2005 -- New data on the intranasal administration of zolmitriptan demonstrate significant efficacy in the treatment of cluster headache, with a rapid onset of action.

Peter J. Goadsby, MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Institute of Neurology, University College of London, London, United Kingdom, presented the findings here in an oral presentation at the 12th Congress of the International Headache Society (IHS).

Cluster headache is among the most painful type of headache known, and occurs very rapidly. Therefore, all treatments must have a rapid onset of action. The current mainstay therapies are subcutaneous sumatriptan, and oxygen.

The primary endpoint of the zolmitriptan study was combined rate of response at 30 minutes over three migraine attacks. The multicentre, placebo-controlled, double blind, two-way cross-over study randomised 92 patients to intranasal zolmitriptan 5 mg and 10 mg, or to intranasal placebo. Secondary endpoints included pain-free status at 30 minutes and effects on cranial autonomic symptoms.

Specifically, 42% of patients on zolmitriptan 5 mg reported headache relief within 30 minutes of administration (P < .003 vs. placebo), as did 63% of patients in the 10 mg arm (P < .002 vs. placebo). With respect to pain-free status at 30 minutes post-treatment, 28% (P < .003 vs. placebo) and 50% (P < .002 vs. placebo) responded to both the 5 mg and 10 mg dose, respectively.

"It's perfectly clear cut in this placebo-controlled trial that zolmitriptan is effective in acute cluster headache," Dr. Goadsby said during his presentation on October 12th.

He noted that no serious adverse events were reported in either the placebo or active treatment arms.

"An advantage of the 5 mg dose in this setting is that there is good safety data for taking 15 mg/day of zolmitriptan. If you are not a person who suffers from cluster headache this might not seem important, but if you are a cluster headache patient it means you can take three courses of treatment a day -- if you have three attacks a day, that's a big difference to your life," Dr. Goadsby said.

"Evidence is the core to take our field forward, and I offer this evidence for clinical practice in future," he concluded.

[Presentation title: Zolmitriptan Nasal Spray is Effective in the Acute Treatment of Cluster Headache: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Cross-over Study. Poster C024]

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by pattik on Oct 18^th, 2005, 4:19pm

Thanks for posting this. I'm fortunate that I'm not in the three-a-day category, but if I were, this would be great news. :)

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by BobG on Oct 18^th, 2005, 6:50pm

on 10/18/05 at 15:22:18, LeLimey wrote:

"An advantage of the 5 mg dose in this setting is that there is good safety data for taking 15 mg/day of zolmitriptan. If you are not a person who suffers from cluster headache this might not seem important, but if you are a cluster headache patient it means you can take three courses of treatment a day -- if you have three attacks a day, that's a big difference to your life," Dr. Goadsby said.

Well said Doc.
Thanks LeLimey

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Oct 18^th, 2005, 8:38pm

And he's an Aussie. ;;D

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Mr. Happy on Oct 18^th, 2005, 9:10pm

Wherever "Old Goad" may be from, where are we going to find another doc that'll prescribe 90 Zomig snorts per month, let alone an insurance plan that'll cover this??!!

Don't get me wrong. I applaud the Goad for speaking out with this research, and I'm a BIG fan of Zomig. This kind of sheds new light on the relative danger of triptans. Well, one of them, anyway.

90 snorts/month. Wowsers.
RJ

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by LeLimey on Oct 19^th, 2005, 2:39am

Oh I appreciate what you're saying Hap, I really do.. but at least having the big chief saying it and having it in black and white means we have a bit more hope than we had yesterday eh?

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Lizzie2 on Oct 20^th, 2005, 11:43pm

Glad you posted this as it reminded me the IHS conference is going on! Would have been lovely to go, but a bit too expensive!!! Can't wait to read all that comes out of it. :)

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Pinkfloyd on Oct 21^st, 2005, 3:02am

on 10/19/05 at 02:39:58, LeLimey wrote:

having the big chief saying it and having it in black and white means .........

Well...I'm not really sure what it means.

I'm sure I'll be viewed as less than objective but, I really do try.

There is a better (IMHO) press release on this than the one here, in that it at least removes the migraine confusion. (or am I the only one confused that they were talking about clusters but this reported 30 minute responses for migraine? Must be the less than objective side of me) It just always worries me when the reporter has no idea WHAT they are reporting on, and just taking notes, getting some of them wrong, and not knowing enough about the subject to catch it in editing.

Anyway....check this one for more details..
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=153939

It also has some interesting info on kids.

I just hope Prof. Goadsby keeps these rates of effectiveness vs. placebo in mind when he reads the data that will one day come out of McLean regarding psychedelics. If he forgets (it may be a while) I'll remind him that he thought:
"Headache relief at 30 minutes was significantly higher for ZNS10 and ZNS5 in ECH compared to placebo: 80% and 47% vs. 24% (p<0.001), as well as in CCH compared to placebo: 38% and 27% vs. 17% (p<0.001)"
was an advancement in treatment and "..I offer this evidence for clinical practice in future."

BTW, yes I do think its good to know this can be used three times as often. It IS important for cluster sufferers. Just wish the data didn't come from the company making the stuff, saying we can buy three times as much.

Bobw
(sometimes I think I'm getting too old to spend my time being objective. ;-)

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Jester on Oct 21^st, 2005, 8:03am

Zomig rocks!

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by thomas on Oct 21^st, 2005, 9:47am

You could have just asked me, been taking 5 mg zomig last three cycles. If you have more than 3 a day, switching to zomig may lessen the number as well.

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by Lizzie2 on Oct 21^st, 2005, 11:42am

One thing about the press releases...... You guys know I was at the AHS conference in June... I read the press releases coming out during the conference and those put out after. They were horrible!!!

They'd used quotes from presenters in contorted ways to make them fit what they wanted to say in the article. The facts in the article weren't always the facts being presented...

Just read with caution! There was one press release in particular that took the cake when I went to AHS regarding migraine and PFOs. It was the most awful thing I'd ever read in my life!

Take Care,
Carrie :)

Title: Re: 3 attacks a day anyone?
Post by mynm156 on Oct 22^nd, 2005, 2:37pm

Yep Thats me. 3-4 days a week. Sometimes I go days with attacks everyday. To be honest its prtentially good news but if I had a dime for everytime I was told Here is a silver bullet MAN. Its sad that what works for some of us doesnt work for others. I'll talk to the Doc about it and keep my figers crossed.