Introduction:

Migraine is a prevalent disease, crisis can be prevented with medication for not less than 6 months.

Objective:

To identify the drugs used for the prophylactic treatment of migraine, inappropriate prescriptions and associated variables.

Materials and methods:

Cross-sectional study, in patients of legal age, diagnosed with migraine and prescribed with prophylactic medications. Sociodemographic, comedication, comorbidities and drugs variables were included. Univariate, bivariate and binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Inappropriate prescription was defined by the formulation of drugs without evidence of effectiveness for prophylaxis or by the use of drugs at doses or subtherapeutic times.

Results:

241 patients were included, 87.1% were women. 87.6% of patients received effective drugs, 10.8% probably effective, 2.5% possibly effective and 10.4% drugs without evidence.. Propranolol was the most commonly used drug for prophylaxis, on average for 69.1±57.2 days, followed by valproic acid (53.2±55.3 days) and amitriptyline (45.7±39.6 days). 99.6% of patients presented an inappropriate prescription.

Conclusions:

A high inadequate prescription of medications for the prophylactic treatment of migraine was identified due to not complying with the recommended dose and duration, as well as an important use of drugs without evidence.