Propofol, a general anesthetic, has been suggested to be effective for the treatment of
migraine headaches in adults when used in subanesthetic doses (lower doses than those used
for anesthesia or sedation). Initial retrospective review of the investigators experience
with propofol for migraine in children suggests that it is safe and may be more effective
than standard treatments used in the emergency department. The investigators retrospective
series had a small subject population and a larger study is needed to compare propofol to
current available treatments.
Standard treatment currently consists of a "cocktail" of medications that include anti-nausea
medicines (metoclopramide and diphenhydramine) and an analgesic (ketorolac) as well as
intravenous fluids. Subjects assigned to the experimental group (Propofol) will receive the
same intravenous fluids and up to five doses of propofol. All subjects will undergo
assessment of their pain (self-rated on a scale from 0-10) before and after treatment.
Post-visit clinical data will be collected from the subject's medical record and subjects
will be called by telephone 24-48 hours after discharge from the emergency department to ask
how they are doing and whether they required any additional treatments such as home
medications or by other medical professionals other than OHSU.