The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline is the drug of choice for the treatment of tension type headache (TH). Although it has been suggested that the analgesic effect of amitriptyline does not depend on its antidepressant activity, the efficacy of amitriptyline in non depressed TH patients has not been studied so far. We performed a randomized, parallel study to compare the efficacy and tolerability of amitriptyline at different doses (10, 25, 50 mg/day) in non-depressed patients with either chronic or episodic TH. Amitriptyline significantly reduced both frequency and duration of headache in chronic but not in episodic TH. Side effects were dose and time related. Analgesic activity of amitriptyline is not necessarily linked to its anti-depressant activity. Furthermore the lack of efficacy of amitriptyline in episodic TH probably reflects the different pathogenesis of episodic and chronic TH.
Amitriptyline in preventive treatment of tension headaches in non-depressed patients is efficient for chronic, but not for episodic cases
Barbanti P;
1996-01-01
Abstract
The tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline is the drug of choice for the treatment of tension type headache (TH). Although it has been suggested that the analgesic effect of amitriptyline does not depend on its antidepressant activity, the efficacy of amitriptyline in non depressed TH patients has not been studied so far. We performed a randomized, parallel study to compare the efficacy and tolerability of amitriptyline at different doses (10, 25, 50 mg/day) in non-depressed patients with either chronic or episodic TH. Amitriptyline significantly reduced both frequency and duration of headache in chronic but not in episodic TH. Side effects were dose and time related. Analgesic activity of amitriptyline is not necessarily linked to its anti-depressant activity. Furthermore the lack of efficacy of amitriptyline in episodic TH probably reflects the different pathogenesis of episodic and chronic TH.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.