Four drugs in the triptan class are now available for the treatment of acute migraine--sumatriptan, rizatriptan, naratriptan, and zolmitriptan. For clinicians prescribing these drugs, data on the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each medication can aid in drug selection. For example, in 2 recently conducted clinical trials, rizatriptan was found to have several advantages over naratriptan and zolmitriptan. Compared with both drugs, rizatriptan provided more rapid relief of headache pain and associated nausea, and allowed patients to return to normal activities more quickly. These are important advantages for patients, particularly when migraine affects their ability to function on the job or at home.
