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Prophylactic Migraine Prescriptions

Experts every so often recommend a daily dose of medicines to lower the length and incidence of migraine attacks. These drugs are called prophylactic or preventive treatment. There are several types of drugs approved for use as prophylactic migraine therapies.

Beta Blockers

It is unknown how beta blockers avert migraines, but they do. Beta blockers frequently used in migraine medication involve propranolol (Inderal), nadolol (Corgard), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), atenolol (Tenormin), and timolol (Blocadren).

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) ward off migraine headaches by shifting two of the neurotransmitters, nor epinephrine and serotonin, that the nerves in the brain employ to communicate. Since migraines and despair are regarded as comorbid conditions, they are a mainly good fit for a lot of migraineurs. TCAs that have been applied in migraine therapy include amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), and imipramine (Tofranil).

Side effects of TCAs include elevated heart rate, faint eyesight, problem urinating, dry mouth, constipation and weight change.

Anticonvulsants

Antiseizure prescribed drugs, also called anticonvulsants, have been utilized to fend off migraine headaches. Like a lot of prophylactic migraine medications, it is not known how they run to repel migraines, simply that they do. The anticonvulsants gabapentin, valproic acid, topiramate, and phenobarbital have all been availed in migraine treatment.

Calcium-Channel Blockers

Calcium-channel blockers (CCBs), in addition to stopping calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart, appear to stop a serotonin uptake. It is the latter that has produced their intermittent use in fending off migraines. The CCBs used in stopping migraines are verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), and nimodipine.

Antiserotonin Agents

The antiserotonin agents methysergide and methylergonovine can be employed in migraine prophylaxis, but their potential side effects are so serious, including retroperitoneal fibrosis (scarring of tissue surrounding the ureters that bring urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and scarring round the lungs, that they are not often used in this capacity.