POSITIVE EVIDENCE
|
Anticonvulsants
|
Topiramate
|
50–200 mg*/day |
2x/day orally |
Paresthesia, fatigue, nausea, weight loss, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, drowsiness, ataxia, kidney stones |
Class I (≥ 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category D breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Valproic acid
|
250–1,000 mg/day |
2–3x/day orally |
Nausea and/or vomiting, tremors, weight gain, asthenia, and alopecia |
Class I (> 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category X breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Sodium divalproate
|
250–1,000 mg/day 1x/day–sustained release, or 125 -500 mg 2x/day orally |
Orally |
Class I (> 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category D breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Levetiracetam
|
250–1,500 mg |
2x/day orally |
Drowsiness, fatigue, mood swings, agitation, irritability, aggression, depression, memory loss, confusion, paresthesia, cognitive decline, and increased risk of suicide |
2 class-II studies and 3 class-III studies |
Level B: possibly efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding–not recommended |
Gabapentin
|
900–3,600 mg/day |
3x/day Orally |
Dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and drowsiness |
2 class-II studies (1 effective and 1 not), 2 class-III studies, and 1 class-IV study |
C Level: possibly efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
POSITIVE EVIDENCE
|
Anticonvulsants
|
Pregabalin
|
75–600 mg/day |
2x/day orally |
– |
1 class-II study and 1 class-IV study |
Level C: possibly efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: low risk–moderately safe for use; monitor treatment |
Zonisamide
|
100–400 mg/day |
1x/day; not available in Brazil |
Weight loss, mood disorders, paresthesia, and difficulty concentrating |
2 class-II studies |
Level B: probably efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: unsafe for use |
Carbamazepine
|
200–2,000 mg/day ÷ in 3 intakes and sustained release: 2 intakes orally |
– |
Vertigo, headache, ataxia, drowsiness, fatigue, diplopia, nausea, vomiting, and allergic skin reactions |
1 class-III study |
Level U: conflicting data. |
Category D breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Vigabatrin
|
1–3 g/day ÷ in 1–2x/day; increase 500 mg/ week orally |
|
Sedation, drowsiness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and visual field change |
1 class-III study |
Level U: conflicting data. |
Category C breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Clonazepam
|
0.25–4 mg/day ÷ in 1–3x/day orally |
|
Drowsiness, dizziness, irritability, and chemical dependence |
1 class-III study and 1 class-IV study |
Level U: conflicting data |
Category C breastfeeding: low risk–moderately safe for use; monitor treatment |
Beta-blockers
|
Propranolol
|
40–240 mg/day 2–3x/day orally |
– |
Bradycardia, hypotension, lethargy, nightmares, mental confusion, depression, gastrointestinal disorders, paresthesia, and weight gain |
Class I (> 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Metoprolol (succinate and tartrate)
|
50–200 mg/day 1–2x/day orally |
– |
Class I (> 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: very low risk–can be used while breastfeeding |
Beta-blockers
|
Timolol
|
20–60 mg/day 2x/day |
Oral |
– |
Class I (> 2 studies) |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: unsafe for use–potential adverse reactions |
Atenolol
|
50–100 mg/day 1–2x/day; maximum of 200 mg orally |
– |
Bradycardia, hypotension, lethargy, nightmares, mental confusion, depression, gastrointestinal disorders, paresthesia, and weight gain |
Class III (3 studies) |
Level C: possibly efficacious |
Category D breastfeeding: high risk–unsafe for use |
Nadolol
|
40–80 mg/day and up to 160 mg/day; 1x/day orally |
Not available in Brazil |
– |
Class II (1 study) |
Level C: possibly efficacious |
Avoid it: newborn may present bradycardia, hypoglycemia, and associated symptoms; breastfeeding: potential risk of causing adverse effects in infants |
Nebivolol
|
5 mg/day 1x/day orally |
|
|
Class III (1 study) or Class II |
Level C: possibly efficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: low risk–moderately safe for use; monitor treatment |
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TADs)
|
Amitriptyline
|
10–150 mg/day 1x/day orally |
– |
Dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, and dizziness |
Many class-I and-II studies |
Level A: established as efficacious |
C - C - C / dreastfeeding: high risk–contraindicated |
Clomipramine
|
25–75 mg/day 1–3x/day orally |
– |
2 class-II studies |
Level B: probably efficacious |
C - C - C / breastfeeding: contraindicated |
Nortriptyline
|
10–50 mg/day 1–3x/day orally |
– |
1 class-II study |
Level C: possibly efficacious |
C - C - C /breastfeeding: very low risk |
POSITIVE EVIDENCE
|
Anti-calcitonin gene-related (anti-CGRP) monoclonal antibodies or anti-CGRP receptor
|
Erenumab
|
70–140 mg/month 1x/month subcutaneously |
|
Pain in the injection site, upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, nausea, and abdominal discomfort |
3 class-I studies |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category B: breastfeeding: moderately safe for use–monitor treatment |
Galcanezumab
|
240 mg in the 1st month and 120 mg/month in the subsequent months subcutaneously |
– |
4 class-I studies |
Level A: established as efficacious |
Category B breastfeeding: moderately safe for use–monitor treatment |
Fremanezumab
|
225 mg/month 1x/month or 675 mg/month every 12 weeks subcutaneously |
– |
2 class-I studies |
Level A: established as efficacious |
There are no data on the presence of fremanezumab in breast milk |
Eptinezumab
|
100 mg/month |
every 12 weeks intravenously |
1 class-I study |
Level B: probably efficacious |
There are no controlled data on human pregnancy. There are no data on the effects of this drug on infants or its effects on milk production. |
NEGATIVE EVIDENCE
|
Betab-lockers
|
Pindolol
|
7.5–15 mg /day orally |
– |
Similar to other beta-blockers |
2 class-II studies |
Level B: probably inefficacious |
Category B breastfeeding: unlikely to affect the child when therapeutic doses are used. |
Anticonvulsants
|
Lamotrigine#
|
100–200 mg/day 2x/day orally |
– |
As in “Anticonvulsants” |
2 class-II studies |
Level B: probably inefficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: low risk; moderately safe for use–monitor treatment |
Oxcarbazepine
|
600–1,500 mg/day 2x/day orally |
– |
Fatigue, dizziness, and nausea |
1 class-II study |
Level C: possibly inefficacious |
Category C breastfeeding: high risk–unsafe for use. |