Anti migraine drugs are medicines that are used to prevent or reduce
the severity of migraine headaches. When there is migraine headaches, there
is a throbbing pain on one side of the head. This can be accompained by
nausea, vomiting, dizziness , increased sensitivity to light and sound and
other symptoms. Migraine attacks can last for few hours or for a day or more
and may come as often as several times a week. Though most migraine attacks
take place without any signal, some have warning signals like restlessness,
tingling in an arm or leg, or seeing patterns of flashing lights before the
attack. This set of signals is called an aura. To treat migraine, migraine
drugs are available but should always be taken with a doctor's prescription.
Migraine Drugs Classification
Preventive Migraine Medication
Antimigraine drugs or drugs that
prevent migraine or cure migraine are classified as follows:
- Beta Blockers: The drugs prevent the widening of the arteries in your
head by blocking the beta receptors.
- Anticonvulsants: These drugs treat seizures. Like many preventative
migraine medications, they increase levels of an amino acid known as
GABA, which may play an important in migraine development.
- Methysergide: This is one of the more toxic medications, and so is
usually reserved for more serious cases.
- Calcium Channel Blockers: These medications have the ability to stop
the spasm of the arteries, block the release of serotonin and inhibit
platelet clumping.
- Antidepressants: It's believed that the anti-migraine effect of these
medicines is a whole different reaction than what happens when treating
depression.
- Clonidine: Clonidine is an alpha blocker that also protects the blood
vessels.
- Cyproheptadine: It's most often prescribed to children, and seems to
be only slightly effective for adults.
- NSAIDs: Though primarily used to stop headaches once they start, they
have also been used as a preventative medication.
- Combinations: Sometimes combinations of the above types of drugs will
be prescribed.
Abortive Migraine Medication
Depending on your physical check up
and past history, your doctor may prescribe treatment to stop the headaches
once they have started. Medicines to treate migraines are called "abortive
medications" and include:
- Analgesics with
caffeine like Excedrin® Migraine (acetaminophen,
aspirin and caffeine)
- Analgesics with caffeine and barbiturates lie Fiorinal®
and Fioricet®.
- Non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil®
and Aleve® .
Popular Migraine Medicines
- Inderal (propranolol)
- Blocadren (timolol)
- Toprol (metoprolol)
- Corzide (nadolol)
- Triptans
- Dihydroergotamine
- Prochlorperazine
- Depakene (sodium valproate)
- Depakote (divalproex sodium)
- Isoptin (Verapamil)
- Nimotop (Nimodipine)
- Elavil
- Sinequan
- Norpramin
- Prozac
- Zoloft
- Paxil etc.