- Researchers are reporting that triptans are the most effective medications for treating migraine attacks.
- Ergots and antiemetics were found to be the second most effective medications.
- The scientists stress that there are many different effective options for treating migraine attacks.
Triptans sold under brand names such as Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt are the most effective in treating migraine attacks, according to a study published today in the online issue of Neurology.
Other classes of medications, such as ergots and anti-emetics, were found to be two to three times more effective than ibuprofen, which is sold under brand names such as Advil and Motrin.
Researchers looked at 25 medications among seven drug classes to determine which were most effective at treating migraine attacks compared to ibuprofen.
The scientists collected data over six years on more than 4.7 million treatment attempts by nearly 300,000 people via a smartphone app. The app collected information based on user input, frequency, triggers, symptoms, medication, and medication effectiveness.
The researchers reported the top three classes of drugs were:
The participants reported ibuprofen to be effective 42% of the time.
“Ibuprofen is often underdosed in order to limit side effects like stomach irritation, and that underdosing increases the risk of recurrence,” said Dr. Noah Rosen, the vice chair of neurology at Northwell Health in New York who was not involved in the study.
“Additionally, the half-life of the drug is quite short — that is how long the medication stays active in your body,” Rosen told Medical News Today. “Other comparable medications like naproxen stay in the system much longer, preventing the recurrence of the headache. While ibuprofen has moderate benefit, particularly for individuals with less frequent events or concurrent neck pain or jaw pain,…
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