Headache is the most common complaint encountered in clinical practice. 
Approximately 45 million people in the United States experience chronic 
headaches. The management of migraine headache involves both pharmacologic and 
nondrug therapy. Drug therapy for migraine involves the use of abortive and 
prophylactic agents. Abortive agents, such as ergotamine tartrate and 
ketoprofen, may be used to relieve the acute attack. Prophylactic therapy is 
focused on reducing the frequency and severity of the attacks. beta-Adrenergic 
blocking agents, such as propranolol, remain the primary agents for many 
migraine patients, although other drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory 
drugs (NSAIDs), including ketoprofen, or calcium-channel blocking agents, such 
as verapamil, may be beneficial for many patients. For cluster headache and its 
variants, methysergide and corticosteroids are usually the drugs of choice. 
Patients with chronic cluster headache may achieve good results from long-term 
treatment with other therapies, including lithium carbonate, verapamil, and 
ketoprofen.