PIZOTIFEN

'Pizotifen' (trade names 'Pizotyline', 'Sandomigran') is a benzocycloheptane based drug used as a medicine.

Contents

Mechanism

Side effects

Uses

Dose

Mechanism

Pizotifen is a serotonin antagonist acting mainly at the 5-HT₁ and 5-HT_2A receptors. It also has some activity as an antihistamine.

Side effects

Side effects include sedation, dry mouth, drowsiness, increased appetite and weight gain. Occasionally it may cause nausea, dizziness. In rare cases, anxiety, aggression and depression may also occur.

Uses

The main medical use for Pizotifen is for the prevention of vascular headache including classical migraine, common migraine and cluster headache.

Dose

Typically adult does is 1.5mg at night or 500 micrograms 3 times daily, adjusted according to response. Max single does 3mg, max daily dose 4.5mg.
Child over 2 years and up, up to 1.5mg daily in divided dose; max single dose at night 1mg.