In a recent study, 90s drugs have been identified as the “most effective” option for treating migraines, as reported by Wales Online. The study compared the effectiveness of drugs developed in the 1990s, specifically certain triptans, to newer migraine treatments such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatory painkillers. These findings suggest that the older drugs should be more widely promoted to patients suffering from migraines.
Experts involved in the study highlighted the efficacy of triptans in providing fast relief that can last up to 24 hours, describing them as underused in current migraine treatment practices. The study compared triptans like eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan to newer drugs known as gepants, including ubrogepant, atogepant, and rimegepant. Triptans work by constricting blood vessels in the brain and reducing inflammatory chemical release, while gepants bind to a protein released by nerves during a migraine attack.
The research, which analysed 137 controlled trials involving 89,445 patients, found that all drugs were more effective at relieving migraine pain after two hours compared to a placebo. Eletriptan was identified as the most effective for pain relief at two hours, followed by rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan. Additionally, eletriptan and ibuprofen were found to be the most effective for pain relief lasting up to 24 hours.
Lead author of the study, Professor Andrea Cipriani from the University of Oxford, emphasised the significance of these findings and the need to promote access to the most effective migraine treatments globally. He suggested that the efficacy of the new drugs is comparable to paracetamol but inferior to the older triptans, despite being more costly.
With approximately one billion people worldwide experiencing migraine attacks and around 10 million individuals in the UK living with the condition, the importance of effective migraine treatment options cannot be understated. Robert Music, chief executive of the Migraine Trust, stressed the challenges faced by individuals in finding a suitable treatment for migraines and called for broader availability of newer treatments to provide patients with a range of options.
The study’s results have significant implications for the management of migraines and the prioritisation of treatment options. As healthcare professionals continue to explore ways to improve migraine care, the findings of this study may pave the way for enhancing treatment strategies and improving outcomes for individuals living with this neurological condition.