Updated on April 16, 2024.
Migraines, a type of moderate-to-severe headache, affect at least 39 million people in the U.S. and more than 1 billion people around the world, according to the Migraine Research Foundation.
Migraine symptoms can include severe pulsing or throbbing pain, light or sound sensitivity, and nausea or vomiting. In some people, migraines can be preceded by auras, warning signs that a migraine is about to start. Aura symptoms can include dizziness, tingling or numbness in the hands, arms, or face, and vision changes like seeing flashing lighs, zigzags, wavy lines, or blurriness.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several medications specifically developed to prevent migraines, which can often interfere with daily functioning.
One of these drugs is called Aimovig (erenumab-aooe). This once-a-month medication can be injected at home and was the first type of medication known as CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) inhibitors to be approved for the prevention of migraines. Since Aimovig’s approval in 2018, six similar drugs have been released for the prevention of migraines.
How Aimovig works
Numerous studies have found Aimovig to be an effective treatment for chronic migraines—ones that occur 15 or more days per month—or episodic migraines, which occur four to 14 days per month. It works by blocking CGRPs, a molecule that causes painful migraine episodes.
Typically, anti-migraine medications have been used only in people without auras. The concern has been that for people who have migraines with auras, there is a potential for a stroke when using certain anti-migraine medications. Aimovig, on the other hand, can be used in people both with and without auras.
To determine how well Aimovig prevents migraines, researchers have studied people with chronic and episodic migraines in a number of studies. A 2019 analysis published in the journal Medicine evaluated the results of five studies of the drug that included almost 3,000 people. In each study, some people were given Aimovig while others were given a placebo (a harmless substance that looked like Aimovig but did not have the active ingredient for preventing migraines). Compared to placebo, Aimovig reduced the number of monthly migraine days by anywhere from one to 2.5 days a month. It also reduced the number of days people needed to take migraine medications for pain relief.
The most common side effects occurred in at least 3 percent of people treated with Aimovig and included constipation and skin irritation around the injection site. One important thing to know is that Aimovig needs to be stored in the refrigerator until you use it.
What it means for people with migraines
There are no known cures for migraines and the causes are not completely understood. For years, healthcare providers have prescribed medications that treat seizures, high blood pressure, depression, and pain to reduce someone's number of migraines or decrease symptoms. They've also urged people to address certain habits which can increase the chances of having a migraine—things like stress and anxiety, hormonal changes, bright or flashing lights, lack of sleep, not eating, or eating certain foods.
“We need new treatments for this painful and often debilitating condition,” said Eric Bastings, MD, the deputy director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in the FDA’s official press release announcing its approval of Aimovig.
This new type of drug is believed to represent progress for the prevention and treatment of migraines, and for increasing awareness about this painful condition.Other drugs of different types are available to treat migraines.Still other types of migraine drugs are in development. For further questions about treatments for migraines and what your insurance covers, speak with your healthcare provider.
