Groundbreaking migraine drug offers instant relief, reduces pain from Day 1

Migraine pain could bring your daily activities to an abrupt halt with its debilitating and throbbing discomfort which is often accompanied by nausea, fatigue, vision changes and more such symptoms. A pathbreaking study has found a new

migraine prevention drug

–

Atogepant

– which can provide immediate relief to the people suffering from it, from the very first day of its use
The study published in the online edition of Neurology on the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has found that people on atogepant were less likely to experience migraines on the first day compared to those taking a placebo. In addition to this, people on this new drug experienced fewer migraines each week during the first four weeks and overall throughout the study than participants who were in the placebo group.
“With many current drugs to prevent migraine, it takes time to find the right dosage for the individual and it can take weeks or even months for it to be most effective,” said study author Richard B. Lipton, MD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. “Some people give up and stop taking the drugs before they reach this point. Plus, many people experience side effects with current treatments. Developing a drug that works both effectively and quickly is critical.”

More about the study

The study conducted over a period of 12 weeks was divided into three trials based on their symptoms to understand the safety and effectiveness of the drug atogepant. People with episodic migraines endured up to 14 migraine days each month, while those with chronic migraines experienced headaches on at least 15 days per month, with at least eight of those days meeting the criteria for migraines.
In the ‘advance’ trial people with episodic migraine were included and while 222 people were given the drug, 214 were put on a placebo.

The ‘elevate’ trial included people with episodic migraine who hadn’t responded well to other oral preventive treatments. 151 in this group were given the drug while 154 were placed on a placebo.

In the ‘progress’ trial, which had people with chronic migraine, 256 were placed on the drug while 246 on placebo.
In the ‘advance’ trial, 12% of participants taking the drug experienced migraines on the first day, compared to 25% in the placebo group. In the ‘elevate’ trial, the figures were 15% for the drug group and 26% for the placebo group. In the ‘progress’ trial, 51% of those on the drug reported migraines, compared to 61% in the placebo group.
After adjusting for factors that might influence migraine rates, researchers found that the drug reduced the likelihood of migraines by 61% in the ‘advance’ trial, 47% in the ‘elevate trial’, and 37% in the ‘progress’ trial.

In terms of migraine days, participants taking atogepant in the first two trials experienced an average of one fewer migraine day per week, compared to less than half a day for the placebo group. In the third trial, migraine days decreased by about 1.5 days per week for those on the drug, compared to around one day for the placebo group.
The people on atogepant also experienced improvement in their overall quality of life compared to people taking the placebo.
“Migraine is the second-leading cause of disability in the overall population and the leading cause of disability in young women, with people reporting negative effects on their relationships, parenting, career and finances,” Lipton said. “Having a treatment that can act quickly and effectively addresses a key need.”

What is migraine

Migraine is more than just a bad headache and the condition has a range of symptoms that may differ from person to person. However, the most debilitating of all symptoms is the irritating headache often experienced in one side of the head, that keeps coming back.

Migraine symptoms

also include nausea, vomiting, changes in mood, extreme tiredness, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smells. These symptoms can happen all at once during a migraine attack, or they can happen separately in between migraine attacks. Migraine attacks may last from hours to days and make it hard to do everyday activities.
The headache intensity can range from moderate to severe. It is usually a throbbing or pulsating sensation.
Current research shows that this head pain happens when there is abnormal activity among nerve signals, chemical signals, and blood vessels in the brain.

Migraine triggers

It is common for people to have migraine triggers and this may include beginning of a period or menstrual cycle. In between attacks, people living with migraine may also experience symptoms like having a hard time focussing, depression and anxiety, tiredness, difficulty sleeping, and/or body chills.
Some people may have changes in visions during migraine episodes which may include seeing dots, zigzags, or sparks. It can also lead to changes in a person’s ability to speak. They might also include feelings of pins and needles in different body parts.
(Picture courtesy: iStock)