Which type of migraine is listed as a contraindication to triptan therapy?

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!

Triptans work by constricting cranial blood vessels through 5-HT1B/1D receptor stimulation to stop migraine signaling. But in basilar migraine and hemiplegic migraine, the aura can involve brainstem function or motor weakness, and the added vasoconstriction from triptans can risk reduced blood flow to critical brain areas or precipitate ischemia. That combination makes these migraine types contraindicated for triptan therapy. Other options described are not inherently contraindicated: common migraine without aura is a typical target for triptans; tension-type headache is not a migraine and is not treated primarily with triptans; cluster headache can respond to triptans, so it isn’t a contraindication.