Prophylactic treatment of migraine with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (lisinopril): randomised, placebo controlled, crossover study
The drug Lisinopril - widely prescribed for various cardiovascular conditions - is an effective, preventive treatment for frequent migraine attacks, finds research in this week's BMJ.
Sixty patients aged 19-59, who suffered between two and six migraine attacks a month, were given either Lisinopril (active) or placebo (inactive) for 12 weeks. The participants kept a daily diary in which they recorded the presence, severity and, if appropriate, duration of symptoms. In the 47 participants who completed the treatment, Lisinopril significantly decreased hours with headache, days with headache, days with migraine, and headache severity. Days with migraine were fewer by at least 50% in 14 participants for active treatment versus placebo. Lisinopril was also well tolerated and adverse events were mild or moderate.
Despite being one relatively small study - albeit with a robust design - the positive outcomes and good tolerability support the use of Lisinopril as a useful preventive treatment for migraine patients, conclude the authors.
Contact:
Harald Schrader, Professor of Neurology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway Email: harald.schrader@medisin.ntnu.no