With the active ingredient Frovatriptan it is an antagonist of the serotonin receptors. The drug belongs to the triptans category and is approved for the treatment of acute migraine attacks. In addition, the drug frovatriptan is also used in some cases for the preventive therapy of cluster headaches.
What is frovatriptan?
Originally, the drug Frovatriptan was produced by the manufacturer Vernalis. It is currently available on the German market from the pharmaceutical producers Kohlpharma and Berlin-Chemie. The active ingredient frovatriptan is generally only available on prescription.
The substance is a so-called triptan and, from a structural point of view, appears as a ring-closed derivative. Its structure is also similar to the hormone serotonin. The drug frovatriptan has an antagonistic effect on the serotonin receptors.
Pharmacological effect
Basically, the active ingredient frovatriptan is a strong antagonist for the receptors of the neurological messenger substance serotonin. The substance acts exactly on the 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors. These are located in the blood vessels of the brain and in the presynaptic area of neurons.
In the majority of cases, the drug frovatriptan is used in acute migraines. If the medicine frovatriptan is taken during such an attack, the corresponding receptors are activated. This affects the blood vessels in the brain and reduces the production of special inflammatory substances. With the stimulation of the 5-HT1B receptors, however, various cardiovascular side effects are also possible, which must be weighed before using the drug.
The half-life of the active ingredient frovatriptan is relatively long at around 26 hours. This makes the substance the longest-acting triptan. For this reason, the risk of recurrent migraine attacks is more effectively reduced by the drug than by treatment with other types of triptans.
In addition, the drug activates the 5-HT7 receptors when used in high doses. In this context, fewer side effects were expected, but this has not yet been confirmed.
The bioavailability of the drug frovatriptan is between 20 and 30 percent. The substance is primarily metabolized in the liver. Most of the active ingredient is later excreted from the human organism via the kidneys.
The drug frovatriptan reduces pain by attaching to various serotonin receptors. It activates significantly more receptors than other triptans. As the drug attaches to these receptors, the cerebral vessels expand, improving blood flow and reducing the pain associated with migraines.
Medical application & use
From a chemical point of view, the drug frovatriptan is one of the triptans. As such, it is used in the majority of cases in the context of the therapy of acute migraine attacks. This is where the drug frovatriptan unfolds its pain-relieving effects.
The active ingredient can also be used for other types of headache. Frovatriptan is also used to prevent cluster headaches. Basically, the drug frovatriptan is taken orally in the form of tablets.
Risks & side effects
Various undesirable side effects or other complaints should be looked out for during treatment with frovatriptan. Side effects occur with different frequencies and in different combinations, and they vary from person to person. Basically, the active ingredient frovatriptan is a prescription drug. Before prescribing, the attending physician carefully weighs up whether the potential side effects are justifiable in the individual case or whether the risk of complications is too high.
The most common side effects from frovatriptan include nausea, discomfort with digestion and pain in the abdomen. Headache, dry mouth, dizziness and paresthesia in the limbs are also possible. Under certain circumstances, the sensation of touch is influenced and severe tiredness occurs. In some cases, patients also experience hot flashes, redness of the skin, and profuse sweating.
After taking the drug frovatriptan, people complain less frequently of impaired taste perception, tremor, lethargy and reduced ability to concentrate. Sometimes the muscles contract involuntarily.
Feelings of pressure in the chest area that resemble those of angina pectoris are less common. However, this is a relatively rare side effect of the drug frovatriptan. The reason for this lies in an influence on the coronary vessels. In addition, the blood pressure (high blood pressure) rises in some patients.
In addition, there are some potential interactions with other substances to be considered while taking the drug frovatriptan. Frovatriptan should not be taken together with the substance ergotamine, as the risk of coronary spasms increases (spasms of the coronary arteries). Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and St. John's wort should not be used at the same time as frovatriptan. Because these substances increase the effect of the drug frovatriptan. In addition, it is strongly advised not to take it together with MAO inhibitors.
Contraindications for treatment with the drug frovatriptan are, for example, hypersensitivity to the substance, high blood pressure and disorders of the liver function. Caution is also required in the event of a heart attack or diseases of the blood vessels.
The medicine frovatriptan is not suitable for treating some rare types of migraines. These include, for example, basilar migraines, ophthalmoplegic and family-related hemiplegic migraines. Any side effects should always be reported to the attending physician.
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