Educational guide
Targeting CGRP for Acute Migraine Relief
Acute migraine attacks are unpredictable and when inadequately treated can lead to chronic migraine, but a new class of migraine drug is proving effective as acute migraine therapy. Improved knowledge of the biological mechanisms behind migraine has led to the
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Acute migraine attacks are unpredictable and when inadequately treated can lead to chronic migraine, but a new class of migraine drug is proving effective as acute migraine therapy.
Improved knowledge of the biological mechanisms behind migraine has led to the development of therapies that target calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide involved in migraine. CGRP-targeted gepants, a class of medications specifically designed to treat migraine, are a new option for acute migraine therapy, says Dr Stephanie Nahas of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She explains how gepants can reduce migraine disease burden and offer an alternative for individuals who cannot tolerate or have contraindications to older acute migraine medications, such as triptans.
Gepants, Dr Nahas reports, are also safe. They have shown comparable adverse event profiles to placebo, and are well tolerated for acute migraine treatment. Furthermore, studies show no significant drug interactions when gepants for acute migraine treatment are combined with CGRP-targeting preventive therapies.