Table 4. Dosage, side-effects and contraindications for prophylactic treatment
Active component
Dosage
(per Side-effects
Contraindications
day)
Propranolol
40-240 mg
Frequent: asthenia,
Asthma, heart failure,
Metoprolol
100-200 mg
poor tolerance to
atrio-ventricular block,
Timolol (outside MA)
10-20 mg
effort
bradycardia
Rare: insomnia,
NB: possibility of
Atenolol
(outside 100 mg
MA)
80-240 mg
nightmares,
aggravation of migraines
Nadolol (outside MA)
5 mg
impotence,
with aura
Nebivolol
(outside
depression
MA)
Oxetorone
60-180 mg (1-3
Frequent:
tablets) as one
somnolence
dose in the
Rare: diarrhoea
evening
necessitating
discontinuation of
treatment
Amitriptyline
10-50 mg in the Dry mouth,
Glaucoma, prostatic
evening
adenoma
somnolence
Weight gain
Pizotifen
3 tablets per day
Sedation
Glaucoma, uredo-
at progressive
Weight gain
prostatic problems
doses
Rare: digestive
problems, dizziness,
muscular pain,
asthenia
Sodium valproate
(outside MA)
500-1000 mg
Nausea, weight
gain, somnolence,
trembling, alopecia,
liver attack
Liver diseases
Methysergide
2-6 mg (1-3
Frequent: nausea,
Hypertension, heart
tablets)
dizziness, insomnia
failure,
Necessary to
Rare:
arteriopathologies,
stop treatment
retroperitoneal
gastric ulcer, liver and
for 1 month
fibrosis
kidney failure,
every 6 months
Flunarizine
Gabapentin (outside
association with triptans
10 mg (1 tablet
Frequent:
Depressive syndrome,
in the evening).
somnolence, weight
extra-pyramidal
Not for more
gain
syndrome
than 6
Rare: depression,
consecutive
extrapyramidal
months
syndrome
1200-2400 mg
Nausea, vomiting,
Hypersensitivity to
convulsions,
gabapentin
MA)
somnolence, ataxia,
dizziness
Dihydroergotamine
10 mg/day
Nausea
Association with triptans
Candesartan (outside
8-16 mg
Arterial
Hypersensitivity, severe
hypotension,
liver and kidney failure
dizziness
2nd and 3rd trimester of
MA)
pregnancy
Venlafaxin (outside
MA)
75-150 mg
Nausea, dizziness,
Hypersensitivity to
hypersudation,
venlafaxine, association
somnolence,
with non-selective MAOI,
nervousness, dry
congenital
mouth
galactosaemia, breast
feeding