23 April 2023 , 09:00
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Around 10 million Brits are affected by migraines, making it one of the most common neurological conditions in the UK - and now scientists have hailed a new drug that is reported to prevent the excruciating pain.
The feeling of a migraine attack is often described as “pressure, throbbing, exploding or stabbing pain” which is usually experienced on one side of the head.
Other symptoms include nausea, disturbed vision and increased sensitivity to light and sound. It is common for patients with a migraine to want to be alone in a dark quiet space and prefer to stay still, explains the NHS.
Brain Research UK adds that attacks can be triggered by various factors, including lack of sleep, stress, dehydration, lack of food, and hormonal changes in women.
Migraines are recognised by the World Health Organisation as the third most disabling condition in the world, and while some people use available drugs to cure the pain, many have found these medicines ineffective.
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Migraine attacks can be triggered by various factors, including lack of sleep and stress (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)However, a recent study has revealed that people who took new drug 'atogepant' had four fewer migraine days each month. It was also found that they didn’t have to take the medication as often as those taking a placebo to stop migraine attacks.
Atogepant is a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, or CGRP inhibitor. CGRP is a protein that plays a key role in starting the migraine process.
The research involved 309 people who had at least four migraine days during the month before the study. Each participant had tried at least two classes of drugs for preventing migraine without improvement. Around 44 percent of those taking part had previously used three or more classes of preventive drugs with no success.
As part of the study, 50 percent of the participants took 60 milligrams of atogepant once a day as a pill and the other half took a placebo for 12 weeks.
Researchers found that people in the atogepant group had an average of four fewer days with migraine per month, while those taking the placebo only had around two fewer days. However, the breakthrough drug was reported to come with side effects.
Around 10 million Brits are affected by migraines (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The most common reaction was constipation, which occurred in 10 percent of those in the drug group and three percent of those taking the placebo. Another after-effect was nausea, which was triggered in seven percent of those taking atogepant and only three percent in the other group.
Study author Dr Patricia Pozo-Rosich, of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain, said: “These results are exciting, as migraine can be debilitating, and this treatment led to fewer days with migraine for people who had already tried up to four other types of drugs to prevent migraine and either had no improvement or had side effects that outweighed any benefits.”
She added: “People who thought they may not find a way to prevent and treat their migraines may have hope of finding relief with a tolerable oral easy-to-use drug. This treatment was safe, well-tolerated and effective for people with difficult-to-treat migraine.”