| Summary: | Triptans, also called serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(1B/1D) agonists, are used to treat migraine and certain other headaches. Triptans act by binding to serotonin receptors in the brain, which leads to a reversal of blood vessel swelling. Triptans may be taken subcutaneously, orally as tablets, capsules, or quick-dissolving wafers, or intranasally as a spray. Currently, 7 triptans are available in the United States (almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan and zolmitriptan), as well as a fixed-dose combination product containing sumatriptan plus naproxen. Comparing the clinical efficacy and harms of the different triptans has been an area of considerable interest to researchers and patients, but is complex because of the large variety of outcome measures that can be measured in studies. The purpose of this review is to compare the efficacy, effectiveness, and harms of triptans
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