Posted by DaveH (64.252.7.95) on January 07, 2002 at 21:23:03:
Dihydroergotamine Mesylate
Synonyms:
MT-200, MT-200, POZ
Drug Class:
Abortive - Ergot Alkaloids
Drug Approval Status:
Phase III
Description:
For those who awaken with migraine or whose headaches worsen rapidly, speedy relief is vital. Additionally severe nausea and vomiting can render pills useless. Patients with these types of symptoms many benefit from medications given by injection.
Dihydroergotamine (DHE) administered by injection can be useful in these circumstances. Injectable DHE is more effective that the nasal spray form. When compared with subcutaneous sumatriptan, DHE was slight less effective two hours after treatment. 73% vs. 85% respectively experienced headache relief. But by 3 to 4 hours, the two medications had equal relief rates.
But DHE is not available in an auto-injector. Patients must draw up the medication from a vial. The medicine is then self-injected. Some patients find the procedure cumbersome and difficult to perform, especially during a migraine.
A new proprietary formulation of injectable DHE is under development. This medication will be packaged in a pre-filled syringe to ease administration. The syringe is designed to be easy to use and can be used alone or with an auto-injector.
Side Effects:
Injection site reaction, nausea/vomiting.
How Taken:
Injection