Goadsby P J, Boes C J
Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK.
Curr Med Res Opin. 2001;17 Suppl 1:s46-50. doi: 10.1185/0300799039117013.
Zolmitriptan is a potent 5-HT(1B/1D) agonist whose targets include the peripheral and central components of the trigeminovascular system. It is generally well-tolerated and has dose-dependent efficacy in the treatment of migraine. The 2.5 mg dose is felt to provide the best balance between efficacy and adverse events. In a direct comparative study, the 2 h headache response rate for zolmitriptan 2.5 mg was statistically superior to sumatriptan 25 and 50 mg, although at 3.3% not clinically significant. Two comparative studies have found no difference in adverse event frequency between zolmitriptan and sumatriptan.
