Beta-blockers : a spanner in the works for acute management of migraine ?

Abstract EN

Many patients suffer with migraine and do not feel their therapeutic needs are met, particularly in acute treatment.

Betablockers are inexpensive, well-tolerated medications licensed for prophylaxis of migraine but not for acute treatment of episodic migraine (EM).

However, this is based on trials that are possibly too narrow.

A known association exists between migraine and various psychological disorders.

In particular, anxiety disorder is implicated as a trigger and a pain modulator affecting experience and reporting of migraine.

This case report highlights the need for a larger randomizedcontrolled trial assessing the efficacy of beta-blockers for the acute treatment of migraines, and in particular reviewing their effect in those patients with an associated anxiety disorder