New Relief for Your Aching Head
March 12, 2004
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Migraine sufferers take heart: new relief may be on the horizon.
A study conducted by researchers in Denmark shows promise for a type of drug called a CGRP antagonist that tackles a peptide believed to play a key role in these devastating headaches. The medication, administered through an IV to patients with moderate to severe migraines, was 60-percent effective in relieving symptoms of headaches, and it also reduced the rate of recurring headaches in many of the patients. Most patients began to feel relief within 30 minutes of the treatment.
The drug appears to be safe as well. Investigators found no serious adverse events, and the main side effect was a feeling of numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
The authors believe these findings will spur more research on the drug, including an easier way to administer it. They conclude, “Our findings offer the prospect of both better treatment and a greater understanding of one of the most common clinical problems in medicine.”
SOURCE: New England Journal of Medicine, 2004;350:1104-1110
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