Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Prophylactic migraine therapy: Mechanisms and evidence

  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article focuses on the scientific evidence for pharmacotherapy for migraine prevention. Non-pharmacologic approaches are not discussed. However, it is important to remember the complementary value of some of these strategies (eg, biofeedback) to migraine treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Campbell JK, Penzien DB, Wall EM: Evidence-based guidelines for migraine headache: behavioral and physical treatments, 2000. http://www.aan.com/professionals/practice/pdfs/ gl0089.pdf. Accessed January 2004. A meta-analytic review of the role of physical and behavioral therapies in migraine.

  2. Welch KM: Contemporary concepts of migraine pathogenesis. Neurology 2003, 61(suppl 4):S2-S8. A comprehensive update on the concepts of migraine pathogenesis.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kang YJ, Eisenach JC: Intrathecal clonidine reduces hypersensitivity after nerve injury by a mechanism involving spinal m4 muscarinic receptors. Anesth Analg 2003, 96:1403–1408.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Silberstein SD, Goadsby PJ: Migraine: preventive treatment. Cephalalgia 2002, 22:491–512. An in-depth overview of migraine prevention.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ramadan NM, Schultz LL, Gilkey SJ: Migraine prophylactic drugs: proof of efficacy, utilization, and cost. Cephalalgia 1997, 17:73–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ramadan NM, Silberstein SD, Freitag FG, et al.: Evidence-based guidelines for migraine headache in the primary care setting: pharmacological management for prevention of migraine, 2000. http://www.aan.com/professionals/practice/pdfs/ gl0090.pdf. Accessed January 2004. A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials of migraine pharmacoprevention.

  7. Freitag FG, Collins SD, Carlson HA, et al.: A randomized trial of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets in migraine prophylaxis. Neurology 2002, 58:1652–1659.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Edwards KR, Potter DL, Wu SC, et al.: Topiramate in the preventive treatment of episodic migraine: a combined analysis from pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. CNS Spectr 2003, 8:428–432.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Mathew NT, Rapoport A, Saper J, et al.: Efficacy of gabapentin in migraine prophylaxis. Headache 2001, 41:119–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cutrer FM, Limmroth V, Moskowitz MA: Possible mechanisms of valproate in migraine prophylaxis. Cephalalgia 1997, 17:93–100.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Shank RP, Gardocki JF, Streeter AJ, Maryanoff BE: An overview of the preclinical aspects of topiramate: pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and mechanism of action. Epilepsia 2000, 41(suppl 1):S3-S9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Brown JP, Dissanayake VU, Briggs AR, et al.: Isolation of the [3H]gabapentin-binding protein/alpha 2 delta Ca2+ channel subunit from porcine brain: development of a radioligand binding assay for alpha 2 delta subunits using [3H]leucine. Anal Biochem 1998, 255:236–243.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fink K, Dooley DJ, Wolfgang PM, et al.: Inhibition of neuronal Ca(2+) influx by gabapentin and pregabalin in the human neocortex. Neuropharmacology 2002, 42:229–236.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Omote K, Iwasaki H, Kawamata M, et al.: Effects of verapamil on spinal anesthesia with local anesthetics. Anesth Analg 1995, 80:444–448.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ruiz-Nuno A, Villarroya M, Cano-Abad M, et al.: Mechanisms of blockade by the novel migraine prophylactic agent, dotarizine, of various brain and peripheral vessel contractility. Eur J Pharmacol 2001, 411:289–299.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Schoenen J, Jacquy J, Lenaerts M: Effectiveness of high-dose riboflavin in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized, controlled trial. Neurology 1998, 50:466–470.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sandor PS, Afra J, Ambrosini A, Schoenen J: Prophylactic treatment of migraine with beta-blockers and riboflavin: differential effects on the intensity dependence of auditory evoked cortical potentials. Headache 2000, 40:30–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Terron JA, Bouchelet I, Hamel E: 5-HT7 receptor mRNA expression in human trigeminal ganglia. Neurosci Lett 2001, 302:9–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pittler MH, Vogler BK, Ernst E: Feverfew for preventing migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000, 3:CD002286.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Reuter U, Chiarugi A, Bolay H, Moskowitz MA: Nuclear factorkappa B as a molecular target for migraine therapy. Ann Neurol 2002, 51:507–516.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Grossman W, Schmidramsl H: An extract of Petasites hybridus is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine. Altern Med Rev 2001, 6:303–310.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Silberstein S, Mathew N, Saper J, Jenkins S: Botulinum toxin type A as a migraine preventive treatment. For the BOTOX Migraine Clinical Research Group. Headache 2000, 40:445–450.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tronvik E, Stovner LJ, Helde G, et al.: Prophylactic treatment of migraine with an angiotensin II receptor blocker: a randomized, controlled trial. JAMA 2003, 289:65–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Becker WJ: Evidence-based migraine prophylactic drug therapy. Can J Neurol Sci 1999, 26(suppl 3):S27-S32.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ramadan, N.M. Prophylactic migraine therapy: Mechanisms and evidence. Current Science Inc 8, 91–95 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-004-0022-z

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-004-0022-z

Keywords

Navigation