Frovatriptan – the gentle one
Frovatriptan (Allegro), the newest triptan available since autumn 2002, comes in 2.5 mg film-coated tablets. The recommended single dose is 2.5 mg frovatriptan. If migraine recurs after initial relief, a second dose can be taken, provided at least two hours have passed since the first dose. The total daily dose should not exceed 5 mg frovatriptan.
Key features at a glance
- Frovatriptan differs from other triptans by binding to additional serotonin receptors.
- On the one hand, the substance binds strongly to 5HT1B/D receptors like the other triptans, but unlike sumatriptan, frovatriptan also binds to 5HT7 receptors.
- These receptors are located particularly in the blood vessels of the heart.
- Their activation causes vasodilation, meaning blood flow is not reduced. In one study, even with an extreme 40-fold overdose of 100 mg frovatriptan, no significant cardiovascular side effects were found in healthy individuals. Therefore, such cardiovascular side effects might theoretically be less likely to occur in migraine patients as well.
- Frovatriptan is slowly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. After 2 hours, 38% and 37% of patients who received 2.5 mg and 5 mg of frovatriptan, respectively, showed a significant improvement in migraine headaches.
- After 4 hours, the improvement rate is 68% and 67%.
- Frovatriptan has a long-lasting effect, so the drug is particularly suitable for long-lasting attacks lasting two to three days.
- The likelihood of headaches recurring after initial effectiveness is low.