Patterns of ergotamine and sumatriptan use in the Netherlands from 1991 to 1997

Patterns of Specific Antimigraine Drug use – A Study Based on the Records of 18 Community Pharmacies

The objective of this study was, first, to characterize the usage patterns of specific antimigraine drugs, and second, to compare these in patients with one type of drug with patients with two or more types of drug. Dispensing data on triptans and ergotamine were collected from community pharmacy records over a 1-year period. In a population of approximately 168 000 specific antimigraine medication has been dispensed to 2343 patients (1.4%). Oral dosage forms were prescribed in most prescriptions (77.1%), subcutaneous injections in 9.7%, rectal suppositories in 7.1% and nasal sprays in 6.1%. We identified 292 patients (12.5%) to whom more than one type of drug was dispensed. Multiple drugs patients showed significantly higher drug consumption and deviating patterns of specific antimigraine drug usage, receiving significantly more non-oral dosage forms (32.8% vs. 20.4%, P < 0.001). Our data indicate substantially suboptimal treatment of migraine patients.

Treatment adherence in patients with headache: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To review and critically evaluate the extant research literature pertaining to adherence in youth and adults with headache and to provide recommendations for future research.

BACKGROUND

This article provides the first systematic review of pediatric headache adherence and updates a previous review of treatment adherence in adults with headache.

DESIGN

Systematic review of empirical literature.

METHODS

A literature search with no date restriction was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO electronic databases and bibliographies of relevant articles.

RESULTS

Adherence rates in adults with headache range considerably from 25% to 94% across treatment, assessment method, and definition of adherence utilized. Methods to assess adherence included retrospective prescription claims data, paper or electronic diaries, follow-up appointment attendance, written and verbal self-report of general adherence, verbal self-report of adherence over a specific amount of time via in person interview or telephone, validated adherence measures, adherence questionnaires without validation, and counselor ratings of homework. Each methodology and assessment tool demonstrated strengths and weaknesses. No studies have systematically examined medication adherence in children with headache, and the few available studies examining adherence to behavioral treatment have documented adherence rates ranging from 52% to 86%.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence research in adults with headache is growing, but studies demonstrate a number of methodological shortcomings. Adherence research in children with headache, and adherence intervention research in both adults and children, is scant. Future research should use objective measures of adherence, consider over-the-counter medications and medication overuse, examine demographic, psychological, and behavioral correlates of adherence, assess adherence to botulinum toxin type A, and examine the efficacy of adherence interventions in individuals with headache.

Triptans: low utilization and high turnover in the general population

Studies performed in selected populations have shown a poor utilization of triptans for migraine. Our study was aimed at establishing patterns of triptans utilization in a large community using the pharmaceutical prescriptions database of two consecutive years in a regional Health Authority in Italy. About 0.5% of the population observed received triptans prescriptions in a year, but > 50% of the cases received only one prescription. On the other hand, 46% of triptan users did not receive a triptan prescription in the following year (past users): in 80% of cases, patients received only 1-2 triptan packages. The evaluation of the discontinued triptan type has shown percentages varying between 30 and 70%. The percentage of triptan users who received a triptan prescription for the first time in the successive year of study (new users) was 52%. These findings together highlight a high turnover in triptans utilization. Less than 15% of subjects received more than one triptan product in the 2 years. In conclusion, we observed a low percentage of triptan users and a low rate of utilization, associated with a high percentage of discontinuation and new utilization (high turnover), without any substantial increase in triptans utilization during the years. All these data probably do not support optimal satisfaction with triptan therapy.

Large-Scale Screening and Subsequent Effects of Migraine Treatment on the Work Floor in the Netherlands

In a large retail business group the ID Migraine Screening Test was sent to employees with three or more absences from work in the past year ( n = 2893). Employees with positive results were invited for a neurological consultation and migraine patients were randomly assigned to: first attack ‘treated as usual’ and the second attack treated with 40 mg eletriptan, or reversed order. Of the 2893 employees, 799 responded (28%), 260 were positively screened for migraine (33%), 84 patients were diagnosed by a neurologist and 41 of the 75 included patients completed the protocol. Eletriptan induced pain-free response in 33.3% of the patients at 4 h compared with 0% after ‘non-specific’ treatment ( P = 0.03). Eletriptan also significantly improved quality of life, but differences in absence from work and productivity loss could not be detected. In conclusion, in-company screening can be beneficial for undertreated employees, but implementation obstacles can reduce the effectiveness of screening.

Treatment Choices and Patterns in Migraine Patients With and Without a Cardiovascular Risk Profile

Treatment patterns in migraine patients with cardiovascular risk factors are largely unknown. A retrospective observational study was conducted to characterize the baseline cardiovascular risk profile of new users of specific abortive migraine drugs, and to investigate treatment choices and patterns in patients with and without a known cardiovascular risk profile. New users of a triptan, ergotamine or Migrafin® ( n = 36 839) from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2006 were included. Approximately 90 of all new users did not have a clinically recognized cardiovascular risk profile. The percentage of new users with a cardiovascular risk profile did not differ between new users of a triptan, ergotamine or Migrafin® and also did not change during the study period of 17 years. Differences in treatment choices and patterns between migraine patients with and without a known cardiovascular risk profile reveal a certain reticence in prescribing vasoconstrictive antimigraine drugs to patients at cardiovascular risk.

Triptans in the Italian population: a drug utilization study and a literature review

Previous studies performed in selected populations show a poor utilization of triptans for migraine. The objectives of our study were to establish patterns of triptans utilization in a large sample, covering 1/10 of Italian population (5.57 millions), and to perform a review of published studies on this topic. We investigated drug prescription database collected during 2006 from 33 health authorities distributed in 8 different regions. About 0.6% of the subjects received at least one prescription of triptans in 1 year: 77.7% were females and 22.3% males. Age distribution shows that 9.5% of patients were aged above 65, and received prescriptions for 8.2% of packages. The review of the literature suggests that these percentages of utilization are common to several countries, and shows that occasional triptan users who received only one prescription in 1 year are a large percentage (40-60%); moreover, a minor population of triptan users utilize a large amount of total triptans. Finally triptans are frequently prescribed in people aged above 65 years, a population in which triptans are contraindicated or not recommended. Our study and the analyzed ones indicate suboptimal treatment of migraine patients with triptans and also an incorrect use in some patients (triptan abusers, elderly).

Patterns of triptans use: a study based on the records of a community pharmaceutical department

Studies performed in selected populations show that the use of triptans for migraine is low. Our study was aimed at establishing patterns of triptan utilization in a large community using the drug prescription database of a regional Health Authority in Italy. In a population of 224,065 residents, 0.55% received at least one prescription of triptans in 1 year: 77.9% were female and 22.1% male. Oral dosage forms accounted for 94% of prescriptions. About 60% of patients received a single prescription (containing one or two packages) of one triptan in 1 year. Age distribution showed that 7% of patients were aged > 65 years. They received 14% of packages, prevalently sumatriptan and zolmitriptan (the two triptans with the longest commercialization in Italy); 5.7% of patients received 40% of packages. Moreover, 3.2% of triptans users received > 120 dosage units in the year in the form of tablets (>10 single doses/month), and were potential triptan abusers. Our data indicate suboptimal treatment of migraine patients and also incorrect treatment of some patients (potential triptans abusers, the elderly).

Migraine prophylactic medication usage patterns in The Netherlands

This study aims to investigate usage patterns of specific migraine prophylactic medications in ergotamine and triptan patients commencing this treatment for the first time during 1 January 1992 until 31 December 1998. Usage patterns of specific migraine prophylactic drugs were evaluated for each patient by accessing data from a large prescription database and were characterized as continued, switch or stop use during the patient observation period. Several patient and medication-related factors were explored in order to identify a possible relationship with the specific usage pattern defined. Approximately 75% of the study population (n = 729) had terminated (stop or switch) prophylactic treatment after 1 year. Age < 40 years (relative risk (RR) 1.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-3.2) and the concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (RR 3.2; 95% CI 1.2-5.5) or specific abortive migraine drugs resulted in a faster onset of treatment modification (switch). Overall, migraine prophylactic treatment is used for a relatively short period, probably attributable to the common limitations associated with migraine prophylaxis, such as poor compliance and/or limited therapeutic efficacy. Patterns of use can be influenced by a variety of factors, including age, type of prescriber and certain co-medication. Patient interview studies are required to clarify these issues further.

Single use of sumatriptan: a patient interview study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible reasons associated with the use of a single prescription of sumatriptan.

BACKGROUND

A few population-based studies concerning the usage patterns of sumatriptan have revealed a relatively high incidence (approximately 40%) of sumatriptan users who utilize only a single prescription of the drug.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Using automated prescription data from 11 community pharmacies, we identified single and multiple sumatriptan prescription recipients. The data were collected from May 1, 1998, to April 30, 2000. Several patient- and medication-related variables possibly associated with single recipiency of sumatriptan were analyzed. In addition, single recipients of sumatriptan were invited for an interview and asked a number of questions related to their clinical status and their experience with the medication.

RESULTS

Four hundred ninety-five, first-time users of sumatriptan were identified during the patient selection period, of whom 38% were single recipients of sumatriptan. Of the latter, 102 patients were considered eligible for interview. Reasons for terminating treatment after only 1 prescription included: inefficacy and/or occurrence of side effects, 78% (n=79); uncertain diagnosis of migraine, 39.2% (n=40); and reduction in headache frequency, 33.3% (n=34). Almost half of the population had terminated treatment without having consulted their physician. More than half relied upon the use of over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics after having tried sumatriptan. Compared to multiple users of sumatriptan, single recipients were far less likely to have used another form of migraine treatment prior to (odds ratio, 0.35; [95% confidence interval, 019 to 0.67]) and after (odds ratio, 0.34 [95% confidence interval, 0.19 to 0.63]) initiating sumatriptan. Furthermore, single recipients had demonstrated an increased tendency towards benzodiazepine use prior to receiving sumatriptan (odds ratio, 1.80 [95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 3.28]).

CONCLUSIONS

Single use of a sumatriptan prescription reveals some issues that may impact negatively the provision of effective migraine management. These include: rapidly developing dissatisfaction with the treatment provided and a lower tendency to seek out medical care. Our results also suggest that the drug may be used (inappropriately) as a diagnostic tool.