Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway have found that the commonly prescribed first-line medicine for preventing migraines may not always be the best option. The findings were published in the European Journal of Neurology.
In a study that involved 104 thousand participants, scientists compared several migraine prevention strategies. Preventive treatments aim to lower how often migraines occur and how severe they are, while acute treatments focus on relief once a migraine begins. The success of preventive options was measured by patient adherence and the extent to which acute therapies were needed.
The analysis revealed that most preventive treatments were somewhat more effective than baseline expectations in reducing migraine frequency, duration, and intensity. Notably, the greatest positive effects were linked to CGRP inhibitors, with amitriptyline and simvastatin highlighted as offering significant benefit. Interestingly, several affordable options performed as well as pricier alternatives.
All three drugs studied showed better performance than commonly used beta blockers in preventing migraines. CGRP inhibitors work by targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide, a molecule connected to inflammation in the brain.
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