Too Many Patients with Migraine Receiving Opioids, Barbiturates
Inappropriate prescribing of opioids and barbiturates for the treatment of migraine is common, a new study suggests. Also surprising was the duration for which many patients had been receiving the medications, with a quarter reporting having been taking them for more than two years. Asked to comment, American Headache Society President Lawrence C. Newman, MD, told Medscape Medical News that the study "both surprises and dismays me." Dr. Newman, a professor of neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of The Headache Institute at Mount Sinai Roosevelt, said, "We've known for years that the use of opioids and barbiturates is inappropriate for patients who suffer from migraine for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they induce more frequent headaches if taken in excess."
-Lawrence Newman, MD, Director, The Headache Institute, Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai Roosevelt
Mount Sinai Launches AI Small Molecule Drug Discovery Center
Apr 02, 2025 View All Press Releases
