In an acute attack of migraine, the drug of choice

Headaches are believed to be either vascular or muscular in origin. Migraine is most common of the vascular headaches, and it occasionally causes pain of the face and jaws. Migraine is due to vasoconstriction of intracranial vessels (that causes neurologic symptoms) followed by vasodilation that results in pounding headache. Basilar migraine is most common in young women. Drugs that are useful. in aborting migraine include ergotamine and sumatriptan. These drugs must be used cautiously since they may cause hypertension and other CNS problems. Methysergide or monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as phenelzine can be used to manage difficult cases.