scotsman9
03-26-2008, 01:32 AM
Hi All,
I came across this in a recent literature search. These are the current and most up-to-date recommendations for treating migraine as reported in Current Treatment Options in Neurology.
Update on the prophylaxis of migraine
Current Treatment Options in Neurology 10(1): 20-29
January 2008
In summary:
Migraine prophylaxis is a stepwise procedure with lifestyle advice followed by consideration of medications.
Patients are advised to maintain a regular lifestyle, with regular sleep, meals, exercise, and management of stress, perhaps through relaxation techniques or other ways that are sensible for them.
If this regimen does not adequately control migraines, preventatives are indicated. Patients can choose between evidence-based nutraceuticals such as riboflavin, feverfew, butterbur, or coenzyme Q10, or more traditional pharmaco-therapeutics.
Medicine choices are somewhat limited by what is available in each country, but from the full range, the medicines of first choice are beta-blockers, flunarizine, topiramate, and valproic acid.
Beta-blockers are particularly useful in patients also suffering from hypertension or tachycardia.
Following recent studies, topiramate (Topamax) has become a first choice for episodic as well as chronic migraine. It is the only prophylactic drug that may lead to weight loss, but it is sometimes associated with adverse cognitive effects.
Valproic acid and flunarizine also have very good prophylactic properties. However, valproic acid is often associated with adverse effects, and flunarizine is unavailable in many countries, including the United States.
If sequential monotherapies are ineffective, combinations of first-line drugs should be tried before advancing to drugs of second choice, which are associated with more adverse effects or have less well-established prophylactic properties.
Amitriptyline should be used carefully because of its anticholinergic effects, although it is useful in comorbid tension-type headache, depression, and sleep disorders.
Methysergide is very effective, but it has been supplanted or even made unavailable in many countries because of its well-described association with retroperitoneal fibrosis (like LSD, methysergide also produces psychedelic and hallucinogenic effects above a dosage of about 4 mg).
Pizotifen has a slightly better safety profile but is unavailable in the United States.
Aspirin is particularly useful in patients needing platelet inhibitors for other medical conditions, but the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding must be considered.
The prophylactic properties of magnesium, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10 are low at best, but their lack of severe adverse effects makes them good treatment options.
Magnesium may be particularly useful during pregnancy. Lisinopril and candesartan were shown to be effective in single trials and are preferable in patients with hypertension.
Acupuncture may be another alternative; although controlled trials have failed to differentiate its effect from placebo, it is at least innocuous.
Botulinum toxin A (Botox) is not effective in the prophylaxis of episodic migraine.
Best ... Scott :cool:
I came across this in a recent literature search. These are the current and most up-to-date recommendations for treating migraine as reported in Current Treatment Options in Neurology.
Update on the prophylaxis of migraine
Current Treatment Options in Neurology 10(1): 20-29
January 2008
In summary:
Migraine prophylaxis is a stepwise procedure with lifestyle advice followed by consideration of medications.
Patients are advised to maintain a regular lifestyle, with regular sleep, meals, exercise, and management of stress, perhaps through relaxation techniques or other ways that are sensible for them.
If this regimen does not adequately control migraines, preventatives are indicated. Patients can choose between evidence-based nutraceuticals such as riboflavin, feverfew, butterbur, or coenzyme Q10, or more traditional pharmaco-therapeutics.
Medicine choices are somewhat limited by what is available in each country, but from the full range, the medicines of first choice are beta-blockers, flunarizine, topiramate, and valproic acid.
Beta-blockers are particularly useful in patients also suffering from hypertension or tachycardia.
Following recent studies, topiramate (Topamax) has become a first choice for episodic as well as chronic migraine. It is the only prophylactic drug that may lead to weight loss, but it is sometimes associated with adverse cognitive effects.
Valproic acid and flunarizine also have very good prophylactic properties. However, valproic acid is often associated with adverse effects, and flunarizine is unavailable in many countries, including the United States.
If sequential monotherapies are ineffective, combinations of first-line drugs should be tried before advancing to drugs of second choice, which are associated with more adverse effects or have less well-established prophylactic properties.
Amitriptyline should be used carefully because of its anticholinergic effects, although it is useful in comorbid tension-type headache, depression, and sleep disorders.
Methysergide is very effective, but it has been supplanted or even made unavailable in many countries because of its well-described association with retroperitoneal fibrosis (like LSD, methysergide also produces psychedelic and hallucinogenic effects above a dosage of about 4 mg).
Pizotifen has a slightly better safety profile but is unavailable in the United States.
Aspirin is particularly useful in patients needing platelet inhibitors for other medical conditions, but the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding must be considered.
The prophylactic properties of magnesium, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10 are low at best, but their lack of severe adverse effects makes them good treatment options.
Magnesium may be particularly useful during pregnancy. Lisinopril and candesartan were shown to be effective in single trials and are preferable in patients with hypertension.
Acupuncture may be another alternative; although controlled trials have failed to differentiate its effect from placebo, it is at least innocuous.
Botulinum toxin A (Botox) is not effective in the prophylaxis of episodic migraine.
Best ... Scott :cool: