Abstract
Butalbital compounds are of proven efficacy in the treatment of tension headache. Decades of experience have established their value in the treatment of other mild-to-moderate headaches. Untold numbers of people rely on these medications as their drug of choice or use them when vasoconstrictors, opioids, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents are contraindicated. The medications are cost-effective with only occasional and minor immediate adverse effects. Their overuse may cause the evolution of episodic primary headaches to chronic daily headaches; however, removal of these agents from the market would reduce the chronic daily headache in the general population by a small fraction of 1%.
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Solomon, S. Butalbital-containing agents: Should they be banned? no.. Current Science Inc 6, 147–150 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-002-0011-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-002-0011-z