Can This Patient Take A Triptan?: Review Of The Cardiovascular Safety Of The Triptans And Recommendations For Patient Selection And Evaluation

Be careful out there. It's a world full of stroke risks. I'm sure your doctor is well aware of this, it is only 12 years old.
https://ispub.com/IJN/3/1/9243

E Loder, D Biondi

Citation

E Loder, D Biondi. Can This Patient Take A Triptan?: Review Of The Cardiovascular Safety Of The Triptans And Recommendations For Patient Selection And Evaluation. The Internet Journal of Neurology. 2003 Volume 3 Number 1.

Abstract

Background: Treatment guidelines issued in 2001 by the United States Headache Consortium emphasize the use of 5-HT1B/1D agonists (triptans) as preferred agents for abortive treatment of moderate to severe migraine. Despite this, triptans are used by only a minority of patients whose attacks are severe enough to require prescription medication, primarily because of persistent concern about their cardiovascular safety.

Discussion: Serious triptan-related cardiac events have occurred, primarily in patients with known cardiac risk factors, but the efficacy and safety of triptans favor their use for the acute treatment of migraine in patients at low risk for cardiovascular disease. The use of simple, validated risk stratification systems such as the Framingham Risk Score, is one method of evaluating cardiovascular risk status in a clinical setting.

Summary: Triptans are safe for the majority of patients with migraine, but clinical assessment of the underlying probability of cardiovascular disease is important prior to triptan prescription.