US Doctors Just Changed Their Guidelines For Migraine Prevention
"There are many options."
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Medical professionals in the United States have updated their clinical recommendations regarding migraine prevention, broadening the criteria for who should receive treatment. A panel of experts has reviewed available evidence and released updated guidelines through the journal Headache, with endorsement from multiple medical organizations including the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society.
The revised guidelines now recommend preventive treatment for patients experiencing four or more moderate-to-severe headaches monthly or those facing substantial migraine-related disability, rather than limiting treatment to those with chronic migraines, which traditionally required 15 or more headache days per month. This expansion is based on clinical trial data showing that preventive treatments at this threshold demonstrate significant effectiveness and may help prevent progression from occasional migraines to chronic conditions.
Several newer medication options are now recommended as first-line treatments, including CGRP-targeting drugs such as atogepant, erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, and eptinezumab, which are available in tablet, injection, and infusion forms. For chronic migraines specifically, botulinum toxin injections are also recommended. Established medications including propranolol, topiramate, and valproate remain viable options. Experts emphasize that patients respond differently to preventive treatments, making it important to have multiple therapeutic options available when initial treatments prove ineffective or produce unwanted side effects.
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Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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