Etoricoxib and celecoxib sensitive indomethacin‐responsive headache disorders

Abstract

Indomethacin‐responsive headaches encompass a group of disorders which include a subset of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and other paroxysmal, often precipitated primary headaches. Many patients show a rapid therapeutic response to indomethacin, which is limited by intolerability. Etoricoxib and celecoxib, selective inhibitors of cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), spare gastroduodenal COX‐1 activity and are less likely to cause gastrointestinal adverse effects than indomethacin. We report a case series of eight patients, seven who responded to etoricoxib and one patient who responded to celecoxib.