New EU-approved Migraine Medicine

The US Food and Drug Administration (EDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have already approved an innovative medicine to prevent migraines. It is an injectable solution that has the ability to prevent migraines and is administered once a month. This new migraine medicine is called Aimovig and contains a substance called erenumab.

Why is this new migraine medicine important?

First of all, the appearance of several variants for the treatment of this condition offers support to those people who know the overwhelming effects of migraines. Although few really understand, isolation in a dark and quiet room to alleviate unbearable pain is an unpleasant situation.

Migraine is such a severe pain that the World Health Organization declared it a disabling disease in 2012. Until then, those suffering from migraines have been accused of failing to perform their duties due to “simple pain. of head ”. This is completely false.

The condition is mainly caused by genetic factors, and women suffer from migraines more often than men. This means that it does not occur due to certain habits or stress. Prevention is one of the best ways to deal with the condition.

How does this new medicine work against migraines?

According to the IFL Science blog, the main advantage of the drug is that it prevents migraines instead of treating them. The results of studies conducted on this drug were revealed at the annual congress of the American Academy of Neurology.

At this event it was mentioned that the drug has a long-lasting effect. For this reason, it can be taken monthly and it is not necessary to take pills. An injection of 70 to 140 mg at four-week intervals is sufficient. Aimovig works by blocking the activity of migraine-causing molecules.

Side effects and price

According to medical publications, the side effects of this drug are very mild. However, the clinical benefits do not present to every patient in the same way.

As a result of the research, the condition of one third of the people undergoing treatment improved significantly. Very few people said that the symptoms had completely disappeared. However, the others considered that the drug did not have significant effects on their condition.

Quite expensive

Unfortunately, all this has a downside, because the drug has a fairly high price. People without health insurance can get it harder.

In the US, the company that makes the drug, Amgen, announced that the price of an injection is $575. In Europe, the European Medicines Agency has approved this new anti-migraine medicine. However, the price remains to be decided at the level of each Member State, according to the negotiations between the public health systems and Amgen.

The American company said in a statement that it is a product of superior quality. Experts have argued that it will have a positive impact on both patients and specialists. The latter aspect concerns the reduction of costs and the decongestion of medical offices.

Other migraine medications

Aimovig is not the first medicine to treat migraines. There are other methods approved by the FDA and EMA, such as methysergide, propranolol, timolol or sodium valproate. However, taking these drugs may cause some side effects. For this reason, it is very important for the specialist to supervise the treatment. He will be able to evaluate the results to adjust the dose or to stop the medication if necessary.

Essential information about migraines

Migraine symptoms include nausea, sensitivity to light and severe headache. Migraines affect more than 10% of the European population. In addition, more than 1% of them suffer from a migraine every three days.

Many people have the opportunity to treat their symptoms with regular medications, some even with natural remedies. But there are many who are greatly affected by the pain felt in everyday life. Migraines also affect patients’ moods.

Some important information about this condition:

• It affects 1 in 10 people.
• It usually appears after the age of 20, but can also occur in children.
• There are several types of migraines, which differ depending on the area of ​​the brain it affects.
• The most serious and intense form is cluster-type headache.
• Although it is caused by genetic factors, migraine can also be caused by internal or external factors. It is recommended to document the possible causes of migraine episodes.

Given that there are millions of people suffering from this condition worldwide, the fact that there is a possibility to reduce this number is a positive aspect. But we know that it is done in small steps. In fact, the emergence of several alternatives such as this new anti-migraine drug, Aimovig, will help us have a better life.