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Classic migraine: effective prophylaxis with metoprolol.
P Kangasniemi1, A R Andersen, P G Andersson
1Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
|December 1, 1987
Summary
Metoprolol slow-release tablets significantly reduced migraine frequency and duration compared to placebo. This study provides strong evidence for metoprolol
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Migraine, particularly classic migraine, poses a significant challenge in neurological care.
- Prophylactic treatments are essential for managing frequent migraine attacks.
- Limited evidence existed for effective prophylactic drugs for classic migraine prior to this study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of metoprolol slow-release (Durules) 200 mg once daily in preventing classic migraine.
- To compare metoprolol's prophylactic effect against a placebo in a double-blind, cross-over trial.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, cross-over study involving 77 patients with 2-8 migraine attacks per month.
- Patients received either metoprolol slow-release 200 mg or placebo once daily for 8 weeks, following a 4-week run-in and 4-week washout period.
- Data collected included attack frequency, duration, global rating, and analgesic consumption.
Main Results:
- Metoprolol significantly reduced the total frequency of migraine attacks (1.8 vs. 2.5 attacks/4 weeks) compared to placebo.
- Metoprolol also significantly decreased mean attack duration (6.0 vs. 8.0 hours/attack) and analgesic consumption.
- Similar benefits were observed for migraine with aura symptoms, excluding duration.
Conclusions:
- Metoprolol slow-release 200 mg is effective in the prophylaxis of classic migraine.
- This study provides convincing evidence for metoprolol as the first drug demonstrating a prophylactic effect in classic migraine.
- Findings support the use of metoprolol for reducing migraine burden.