Absorption of effervescent aspirin during migraine.

The absorption of effervescent aspirin was studied in 42 patients during acute attacks of migraine. When compared with normal controls and with themselves between attacks 19 out of the 42 patients showed impairment of absorption. Impairment of absorption seemed to correlate with the severity of the headache and the gastro-intestinal symptoms at the time of treatment but not with the duration of the attack or with the type of migraine. This study probably underestimated the prevalence of impairment of absorption in migraine attacks, and it is concluded that the treatment of acute migraine symptoms by oral drugs should use those formulations which are rapidly absorbed under normal conditions.