Heart Drug May Prevent Migraines.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Relief may be in sight for those who suffer from migraine headaches but have not responded well to currently available treatments.

Researchers in Norway have conducted a preliminary study on a drug called lisinopril--originally intended to help those suffering from heart failure--which was incidentally found to prevent migraines.

The researchers evaluated daily doses of lisinopril for preventing headaches in 60 migraine patients aged 19 to 59 years.

Thirty participants took one lisinopril tablet each day for 1 week and then two tablets daily for 11 weeks. After a two-week rest period, they followed the same regimen but with an inactive ``placebo'' or dummy pill.

Another group of 30 people took placebo for 12 weeks followed by lisinopril for 12 weeks. The complete findings appear in the January issue of the British Medical Journal.

While the patients were taking the drug, the number of hours with headache were reduced by 20%, and days with migraine were reduced by 21% compared to placebo, according to the report.

When headaches did occur, the patients rated their severity 20% lower while taking lisinopril than while taking placebo.

Researcher Harald Schrader, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and colleagues note in their report that lisinopril is also well tolerated. Adverse side effects like dizziness or cough were considered to be mild to moderate.

More than 45 million Americans experience chronic headaches, and 23 million have migraines. Each year, migraine sufferers lose over 157 million workdays because of headache pain.

Current treatment methods for migraines, such as a class of drugs known as triptans, sometimes offer only partial relief of symptoms. Researchers are looking at a range of drugs, including treatments for epilepsy and depression, as possible alternative treatments.

SOURCE: British Medical Journal 2001;322:19-2
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