Shocking Study Reveals Triptans Outperform New Migraine Medications—Find Out Why!
triptans best choice treating migraines
Why Triptans Are the Best Choice for Treating Migraines
A recent analysis underscores the superiority of triptans, including eletriptan and rizatriptan, when compared to newer migraine medications and commonly used analgesics. Researchers advocate for a global shift towards the increased utilization of triptans, proposing that their broader adoption could standardize migraine treatment on a worldwide scale.
The findings, published on September 18 in The BMJ, reveal that triptans outperform newer, more costly migraine drugs for treating acute episodes. Triptans act by constricting cerebral blood vessels and inhibiting the release of pain-inducing and inflammatory chemicals.
The analysis specifically highlighted four triptans—eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan—as more effective in alleviating migraine pain than recently introduced medications like lasmiditan, rimegepant, and ubrogepant, which were shown to be on par with paracetamol and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Researchers argue that triptans remain significantly underutilized and recommend promoting access to the most effective ones globally, alongside updates to international treatment guidelines.
Global Impact and Study Overview
Migraines, afflicting over a billion individuals globally, are the primary cause of disability among women aged 15 to 49. Despite a wide array of available treatments, no clear consensus exists regarding the most efficacious options.
To address this gap, researchers combed scientific databases, identifying randomized controlled trials published up to June 24, 2023. These trials compared the efficacy of various licensed oral medications for acute migraine relief in adults.
In total, 137 trials involving 89,445 participants (average age 40, 86% women) were analyzed, evaluating 17 different drugs against placebos. The trials varied in quality, but the researchers employed a recognized assessment tool to evaluate the certainty of evidence.
Comparative Efficacy of Migraine Treatments
The analysis revealed that all evaluated medications were more effective than placebo in providing pain relief after two hours, with most offering sustained relief for up to 24 hours—except for paracetamol and naratriptan.
Among the drugs, eletriptan emerged as the most potent in relieving pain after two hours, followed closely by rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan. For sustained pain relief lasting up to 24 hours, eletriptan and ibuprofen were the top performers.
The researchers emphasize that the best-performing triptans should be prioritized as the preferred treatment for migraines. They recommend their inclusion in the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines to ensure global accessibility and consistent care standards.
However, they acknowledge that some individuals may not tolerate triptans due to cardiovascular issues or adverse side effects.
triptans best choice treating migraines: Recommendations for Migraine Treatment
Despite these limitations, the researchers assert that the analysis, albeit constrained by the lack of individual patient data, represents the most comprehensive evidence available for guiding the selection of acute oral migraine treatments. This evidence should inform treatment choices, fostering shared decision-making between patients and healthcare providers.
Reference
“Comparative effects of drug interventions for the acute management of migraine episodes in adults: systematic review and network meta-analysis” by William K Karlsson, Edoardo G Ostinelli, Zixuan A Zhuang, Lili Kokoti, Rune H Christensen, Haidar M Al-Khazali, Christina I Deligianni, Anneka Tomlinson, Håkan Ashina, Elena Ruiz de la Torre, Hans-Christoph Diener, Andrea Cipriani, and Messoud Ashina, 18 September 2024, BMJ. DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-080107.
