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Prescribing of drugs for the treatment of migraine with specific emphasis on sumatriptan
Abstract
Migraine affects between 5.15% of males and 13,5-31% of 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 ofpatients was
48,40 (SD = 14,19) years, with 74,57% ofpatients between 20 and59 years of age. Approximately 80% ofpatients were females. Female patients were prescribed 81,53% of 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 103patients) was the most frequentlyprescribed, 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.
Keywords: migraine; sumatriptan; prescribing patterns; drug utilisation; pharmacoepidemiology
Health SA Gesondheid Vol. 9 (4) 2004: pp. 53-63
