When taken at the first signs of a migraine, before headache pain begins, a drug called ubrogepant may be effective in helping people with migraine go about their daily lives with little or no symptoms, according to a study published in the August 28, 2024, online issue of Neurology . The study focused on people with migraine who could tell when an attack was about to happen, due to early symptoms such as sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, neck pain or stiffness, or dizziness. Ubrogepant is a calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, or CGRP inhibitor.

CGRP is a protein that plays a key role in the migraine process. "Migraine is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, yet so many people who suffer from this condition do not receive treatment or report that they are not satisfied with their treatment," said study author Richard B. Lipton, MD, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Improving care at the first signs of migraine, even before headache pain begins, can be a key to improved outcomes. Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that ubrogepant may help people with migraine function normally and go about their day." The study involved 518 participants who had migraine for at least one year and two to eight migraine attacks per month in the three months before the study.

All of the participants regularly experienced signs that a migraine would be starting within the next few hours.