Korean J Clin Pharm.  2022 Sep;32(3):178-184. 10.24304/kjcp.2022.32.3.178.

Medication Prescribing Status in Pediatric Patients with Migraine

• Rhew K

• KMID: 2533897
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.24304/kjcp.2022.32.3.178

Abstract

Background
Migraine is one of the leading causes of poor quality of life and disability, and migraine incidences in pediatrics are increasing. Proper medication is important for the preventive and acute treatment of migraine. This study aimed to identify the current status of prescribed medication in pediatric patients with migraine.
Methods
We used data from a sample of pediatric patients from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA-PPS-2018) and analyzed the status of prescription drugs and frequency of visits to medical institutions with migraine diagnoses in pediatric patients.
Results
A total of 12,228 pediatric patients diagnosed with migraine during 2018 were analyzed. Among these patients, 7,170 (58.64%) were girls and 9,510 (77.77%) were adolescents. Additionally, 9,157 patients (74.89%) received acute treatment, and 592 patients (4.84%) received combination therapy with analgesics and triptans. Acetaminophen for acute treatment and flunarizine for preventive treatment were the most commonly prescribed. In most children and adolescents, acute treatment drugs were prescribed for less than 14 days.
Conclusion
Analgesics, such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, were prescribed frequently for acute treatment in pediatric patients with migraine. The drug prescription duration was within the recommended range, indicating a low risk of overdose. For preventive treatment, clinically studied medication for pediatric patients with migraine was used.

Keyword

Migraine; pediatrics; analgesics; triptans