According to a report from Norway’s state radio and television on Friday, national experts have found through long-term trials that an existing medication for blood pressure can positively impact the improvement of migraines. They emphasized that this drug, previously used for hypertension, could now become an affordable and accessible migraine treatment globally.
According to a report by Jadeh Makhsous news base, Lise Rystad Øie, the head of the study, said: “We have been waiting for the results of this study for a long time, and now we think that this drug will be our first choice, and we have already started its preventive trials.”
The drug, known as Candesartan, was evaluated in the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind to date. Conducted from 2021 to 2024, the research involved nine hospitals in Norway and one in Estonia, with nearly 500 participants aged 18 to 64 who experienced between two and eight migraine attacks per month.
The findings demonstrated that the medication can effectively prevent migraine attacks in individuals who have headaches for fewer than 15 days a month. The experts also noted that the efficacy of Candesartan is comparable to that of newer, more expensive migraine medications, but crucially, it does not carry the severe side effects often associated with these modern treatments.
According to Jadeh Makhsous, Dr. Øie added: “We want to put Candesartan on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines so that people around the world can have access to safe and affordable treatment.”
Migraine is a complex neurological disorder with a genetic basis, characterized by recurring episodes of moderate to severe headaches. These headaches typically affect one side of the head and are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. The symptoms can be exacerbated by physical activity.
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