Migraine is the most common type of headache these days, being one of the main causes of disability in our society. Hence the importance of studying treatments, both those indicated for acute attacks and prevention, which constitute the pharmacotherapy of migraine.
Migraine is a recurrent and severe headache, usually located on one side of the head, which manifests as a seizure, usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting, as well as hypersensitivity to light and noise.
There are different types of migraines, including
Although the causes of migraine are not well known, it is known that the influence of certain risk factors favors the onset of such seizures, including:
With regard to drug therapy for migraine, there are two main groups of drugs: those used for acute treatment of the attack and preventive or prophylactic drugs.
Migraine treatment aims to eliminate the pain and symptoms associated with it. There are three groups of drugs:
When migraine attacks do not respond adequately to medications, as well as when repeated very frequently and affect patients’ quality of life, preventive treatment can be used to reduce the intensity, frequency and duration of seizures.
Some medications used as migraine prophylactics are
There are currently new drugs that have shown efficacy with few side effects. Some of them act on the peptide pathway associated with the calcitonin gene; they are monoclonal antibodies and gepanes.
Similarly, other medicines are being clinically studied for approval in the near future.
For proper migraine treatment, appropriate medicines should be combined with non-pharmacological measures.
As important as having good treatment for acute crisis is to consider, if necessary, preventive treatment that helps decrease the frequency and intensity of seizures.
More than 40% of migraine patients are undiagnosed, so if you have frequent headaches, don’t hesitate to consult a specialist!