Two antidepressants used for migraine prevention and one key adverse effect to monitor.

Prepare for the Pharmacology IV – Headache Therapeutics Test. Review the therapeutic approaches, tackle multiple-choice questions with explanations, and boost your test-taking confidence. Ace your exam with precision!

Amitriptyline and venlafaxine are commonly used antidepressants for migraine prevention, with each carrying a distinct safety concern to monitor. Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, often causes anticholinergic effects due to muscarinic receptor blockade—dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision, and cognitive changes. These effects can be particularly troubling in older patients, so watching for anticholinergic symptoms is important. Venlafaxine, an SNRI, can raise blood pressure, especially at higher doses, so regular blood pressure monitoring is essential to catch hypertension early and adjust therapy if needed. The other options pair antidepressants poorly matched to migraine prophylaxis or emphasize adverse effects that are less central to their use for this purpose.