Efficacy of danazol in the control of hormonal migraine.

ABSTRACT

Of 131 women with hormonally related migraines unresponsive to standard medication, 67 (51.1%) noted profound relief after a 12-month, phased study using danazol for migraine prevention. The first three phases consisted of two-month cycles dietary control and acetazolamide, the addition of danazol and danazol discontinuation. Eighty-three women (63.36%) reported control of their hormonal migraines while using danazol. In phase IV, 81 women whose headaches were controlled by danazol restarted danazol for an additional six months. Sixty-seven (82.7%) reported continued success with this medication. Danazol proved highly successful in the control of women's cyclic migraine. Its effectiveness remained consistent throughout the treatment course. In the prophylactic treatment of women's hormonal migraine, 400 mg of danazol administered daily for 25 days each month can prove effective when standard medical therapy fails. Furthermore, the response to danazol supported the concept that hormonal migraine should be treated as a distinct clinical entity.