Frovatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine and prevention of predictable menstrual migraine

Frovatriptan is a 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor agonist that belongs to the triptan therapeutic class. Relative to other triptans, frovatriptan has a long half-life (26 h) and a low incidence of migraine recurrence (17%). Frovatriptan is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura, and has a relatively good safety and tolerability profile. Recent studies have also shown that a 6-day regimen of frovatriptan scheduled during the perimenstrual period significantly reduced the incidence and severity of menstrual migraine (MM; attacks that regularly start day -2 to +3 relative to menses). Prevention may be important because MM attacks have been characterized as being of longer duration, more severe and more refractory to treatment than non-MM attacks.