Drugs for Prevention of Migraine
Drugs for Prevention of Migraine
September 28, 2026 (Issue: 1764)
Indications for preventive treatment of migraine include
frequent or severe attacks, contraindications to or toxicity with
acute treatments, and patient preference. Drugs for acute
treatment of migraine were reviewed in a previous issue.
- J Ailani et al. The American Headache Society Consensus Statement: Update on integrating new migraine treatments into clinical practice. Headache 2021; 61:1021. doi:10.1111/head.14153
- A Qaseem et al. Prevention of episodic migraine headache using pharmacologic treatments in outpatient settings: a clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2025; 178:426. doi:10.7326/annals-24-01052
- S Potrebic et al. Pharmacologic treatment for migraine prevention in adults practice guideline recommendations: report of the AAN Guidelines Subcommittee and the American Headache Society. Neurology 2026; 107:e214881. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000214881
- Drugs for acute treatment of migraine. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2026; 68:145.
- M Khalili et al. Effectiveness and tolerability of pharmacologic prophylaxis for chronic migraine: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann Intern Med 2026; 179:823. doi:10.7326/annals-25-02221
- JAA Damen et al. Comparative effectiveness of pharmacologic treatments for the prevention of episodic migraine headache: a systematic review and network meta-analysis for the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2025; 178:369. doi:10.7326/annals-24-00315
- PJ Goadsby et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of erenumab: results from 64 weeks of the LIBERTY study. Neurology 2021; 96:e2724. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000012029
- MD Ferrari et al. Fremanezumab versus placebo for migraine prevention in patients with documented failure to up to four migraine preventive medication classes (FOCUS): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3b trial. Lancet 2019; 394:1030. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(19)31946-4
- DK Kuruppu et al. Efficacy of galcanezumab in patients with migraine who did not benefit from commonly prescribed preventive treatments. BMC Neurol 2021; 21:175. doi:10.1186/s12883-021-02196-7
- M Ashina et al. Safety and efficacy of eptinezumab for migraine prevention in patients with two-to-four previous preventive treatment failures (DELIVER): a multi-arm, randomised, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, phase 3b trial. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:597. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00185-5
- JM Pavlovic et al. Efficacy and safety of erenumab in women with a history of menstrual migraine. J Headache Pain 2020; 21:95. doi:10.1186/s10194-020-01167-6
- AC Charles et al. Calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeting therapies are a first-line option for the prevention of migraine: an American Headache Society position statement update. Headache 2024; 64:333. doi:10.1111/head.14692
- D Croteau et al. Arterial hypertension: a safety risk of calcitonin gene-related peptide ligand and receptor blocker class. Headache 2026; 66:1342. doi:10.1111/head.70089
- M Ruiz et al. Alopecia as an emerging adverse event to CGRP monoclonal antibodies: cases series, evaluation of FAERS, and literature review. Cephalalgia 2023; 43:3331024221143538. doi:10.1177/03331024221143538
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- WM Mulleners et al. Antiepileptics in migraine prophylaxis: an updated Cochrane review. Cephalalgia 2015; 35:51. doi:10.1177/0333102414534325
- S Silberstein et al. Topiramate treatment of chronic migraine: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of quality of life and other efficacy measures. Headache 2009; 49:1153. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01508.x
- M Linde et al. Topiramate for the prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013; 6:CD010610. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd010610
- In brief: Warning against use of valproate for migraine prevention during pregnancy. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2013; 55:45.
- J Weston et al. Monotherapy treatment of epilepsy in pregnancy: congenital malformation outcomes in the child. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016; 11:CD010224. doi:10.1002/14651858. cd010224.pub2
- JR Couch et al. Amitriptyline in the prophylactic treatment of migraine and chronic daily headache. Headache 2011; 51:33. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01800.x
- LB Kisler et al. Individualization of migraine prevention: a randomized controlled trial of psychophysical-based prediction of duloxetine efficacy. Clin J Pain 2019; 35:753. doi:10.1097/ajp.0000000000000739
- KF Huybrechts et al. Maternal and fetal outcomes following exposure to duloxetine in pregnancy: cohort study. BMJ 2020; 368:m237. doi:10.1136/bmj.m237
- JL Jackson et al. A comparative effectiveness meta-analysis of drugs for the prophylaxis of migraine headache. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130733. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130733
- HC Diener et al. Telmisartan in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Cephalalgia 2009; 29:921. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01825.x
- Botulinum toxin for chronic migraine. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2011; 53:7.
- S Holland et al. Evidence-based guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for episodic migraine prevention in adults: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology 2012; 78:1346. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3182535d0c
- T Ansari et al. Management of menstrual migraine. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2020; 20:45. doi:10.1007/s11910-020-01067-x
- K Maasumi et al. Menstrual migraine and treatment options: review. Headache 2017; 57:194. doi:10.1111/head.12978
- T Pringsheim et al. Systematic review of pharmacologic treatment for migraine prevention in adults: report of the AAN Guidelines Subcommittee and the American Headache Society. Neurology 2026; 107:e218112. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000218112
- AN Cocores et al. Update on neuromodulation for migraine and other primary headache disorders: recent advances and new indications. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2025; 29:47. doi:10.1007/s11916-024-01314-7
- JY Bae et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy for migraine headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicina (Kaunas) 2021; 58:44. doi:10.3390/medicina58010044
- Y Nestoriuc et al. Biofeedback treatment for headache disorders: a comprehensive efficacy review. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2008; 33:125. doi:10.1007/s10484-008-9060-3
- SQ Fan et al. Efficacy of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a trial sequential meta-analysis. J Neurol 2021; 268:4128. doi:10.1007/s00415-020-10178-x
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