Candesartan ((Atacand) is a blood pressure medication in the class of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). A recently published study involving 86 patients confirmed that candesartan can improve migraines. This was not a double-blind but rather an observational study, meaning that the results were not as reliable. However, the study is worth publicizing since candesartan is often overlooked as an effective migraine drug.
Here is more about candesartan from my previous post:
Candesartan was first shown to work for the prevention of migraine headaches in a 60-patient Norwegian trial published in JAMA in 2003. This was a double-blind crossover trial, which means that half of the patients were first placed on a placebo and then switched to candesartan and the second group started on candesartan and then were switched to placebo. This trial showed that when compared to placebo, 16 mg of candesartan resulted in a very significant reduction in mean number of days with headache, hours with headache, days with migraine, hours with migraine, headache severity index, level of disability, and days of sick leave. Candesartan was very well tolerated – there was no difference in side effects in patients taking the drug and those taking the placebo.
In another trial, the researchers compared candesartan to placebo as well as to propranolol, which is an FDA-approved blood pressure drug for the prevention of migraines. This trial in 72 migraine sufferers compared 16 mg of candesartan with placebo and 160 mg of propranolol. Candesartan and propranolol were equally effective in reducing migraine days per month and both were significantly more effective than placebo.
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