Following is a news release based on an article published in the December issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The AAN is an association of 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. For a copy of the full article or for more information, contact the Communications Area at (612) 695-1940 or by e-mail at [email protected]
New Migraine Treatment Promises Longer Relief, Fewer Side Effects
ST. PAUL, MN (December 22, 1997) A new, longer-acting treatment for migraine, naratriptan, quickly relieves pain and disability associated with migraine and greatly reduces headache recurrence, according to a study published in the December issue of Neurology, the American Academy of NeurologyÃs scientific journal.
ìNaratriptan is an effective and well-tolerated migraine treatment,î says study lead- author Ninan T. Mathew, MD, neurologist and director of The Houston Headache Clinic. ìSixty- eight percent of study patients with moderate or severe migraine pain had relief within four hours of treatment with 2.5 mg of naratriptan. Naratriptan also significantly reduced patient disability due to migraine associated symptoms, such as nausea and sensitivity to light and noise, with very few adverse events.î Naratriptan proved effective in treating varying migraine types including prolonged headache and menstrually-associated migraines. Mathew expects naratriptan to be approved for use by early 1998.
Naratriptan is similar to other ìtriptanî migraine treatments, such as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. Naratriptan offers patientÃs advantages because it is well-absorbed and remains in the patientÃs system longer. ìNaratriptan is long acting with the effect in patients lasting up to 24 hours,î says Mathew.
Headache recurrence is a significant problem for many who suffer with migraines. ìOf patients taking 2.5 mg of naratriptan, just 27 percent reported recurring headache pain within 24 hours. Most other migraine treatments have 30 to 40 percent recurrence rates,î says Mathew. The study included both men and women ages 18 to 65. Five hundred eighty-six , 595, 591 and 602 patients were randomly chosen to receive naratriptan doses of 2.5 mg, 1 mg, .25 mg, or placebo (inactive pill), respectively. Patients receiving the 2.5 mg dose had the most optimal results with no more reported side effects than those taking placebo.
Less than three percent of study participants reported tingling sensations or tightness in the chest and throat, results similar to other ìtriptanî drugs. Naratriptan, like sumatriptan and zolmitriptan, constricts blood vessels in the brain and reduces inflammation to stop migraine pain. Because the coronary artery also is constricted, although to a lesser degree, Mathew warns that the drug should not be used in patients with coronary artery disease.
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