Intranasal ketorolac is as good as intranasal sumatriptan (Imitrex)

Sumatriptan (Imitrex) and similar drugs (so called triptans) are “designer” drugs that were specifically developed for the treatment of migraine headaches. They are very effective, but do not help all migraine sufferers. Anti-inflammatory pain killers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen work well for some people and sometimes these drugs are combined with triptans to achieve better relief.

Many migraineurs experience nausea and sometimes vomiting as part of their migraine, which prevents or delays the absorption of medicine, making it ineffective or less effective. To address this problem, two of the triptans, sumatriptan and zolmitriptan (Zomig) are available in a nasal spray form. Sumatriptan can be also self-administered as an injection and recently a skin patch of sumatriptan (Zecuity) became available. An anti-inflammatory pain medicine, ketorolac is also available as a nasal spray, as does a narcotic pain killer, Stadol (butorphanol). While Stadol is addictive and has other serious side effects, intranasal ketorolac (Sprix) is a very good pain medication. Sprix works much better than the ketorolac tablet, but not as well as an injection of ketorolac (Toradol).

Intranasal ketorolac was compared with intranasal sumatriptan in a study that was recently published in the journal Headache. The study showed that ketorolac and sumatriptan nasal sprays were equally effective and both were better than placebo spray. Both drugs caused nasal irritation and unpleasant taste in some patients, but these were not severe.

The main problem with intranasal ketorolac is its cost. On GoodRx.com the price of 5 vials of Sprix (with a coupon) is about $1,000. Each vial is good for one day of use; it contains 8 sprays (15 mg each) and the usual dose is one spray into each nostril, repeated every 6 hours as needed. However, there is a way around the cost of this medication. Ten 30 mg vials of generic ketorolac for injections cost $15. You just need to buy a nasal spray bottle, empty the contents of the vial into it and use it as needed.