Cafergot is the proprietary name of a medication

Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

 consisting of ergotamine tartrate and caffeine

Caffeine

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...

. This combination is used for the treatment of vascular headache

Vascular headache

A vascular headache is an outdated term to describe certain types of headache which were thought to be related to blood vessel swelling and hyperemia as cause of the pain.There is no doubt that some headaches are caused by vascular effects...

s, such as migraine

Migraine

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches, and nausea...

 headache.

Use

Correct timing of use is important. Cafergot is an abortive headache treatment, which prevents the development of the headache, rather than a treatment for an established headache. The medication should be administered at the first sign of headache.

There exists some limitations as to the maximum number of tablets that can be taken per day per week. Different sources of drug information may carry different information, and patients are encouraged to ask their pharmacist or prescriber about such details.

Mechanism of action

The causes of migraine are not fully understood, but dilation of blood vessels in the brain may play a part in causing the headache pain. Ergotamine tartrate and caffeine are both vasoconstrictors, substances which act to constrict blood vessels.

Adverse effects

Because the vasoconstrictive effects of ergotamine and caffeine are not selective for the brain, adverse effects due to systemic vasoconstriction can occur. Cold feet or hands, angina pectoris or dizziness are some examples.