Aspirin is by far the most effective drug for the prevention of migraine with aura, according to Italian researchers from Turin. They reported on 194 consecutive patients who had migraine with aura and who were placed on a prophylactic medication. Ninety of these patients were on 300 mg of aspirin daily and the rest were given propranolol (Inderal), topiramate (Topamax), and other daily medications. At the end of 32 weeks of observation 86% of those on aspirin had at least a 50% reduction in the frequency of attacks of migraine with aura compared with their baseline frequency, while 41% had even better results – at least a 75% reduction. In contrast, only 46% of patients on other drugs had a 50% improvement in frequency. The probability of success with aspirin was six times greater than with any other prophylactic medication, according to the lead author, Dr. Lidia Savi.
Aspirin is not only effective for the prevention of migraines with aura but also for acute therapy of migraine attacks. In previous posts I mentioned that a rigorous analysis of large numbers of patients showed that 1,000 mg of aspirin is better than 500 mg of naproxen (2 tablets of Aleve) and that 1,000 mg of aspirin was as good as 100 mg of sumatriptan (Imitrex) with fewer side effects.
Many health benefits of aspirin, which was originally derived from the willow bark, are becoming widely known. In addition to helping prevent heart attacks and strokes, aspirin has cancer-fighting properties. You may want to read a very interesting article about aspirin, The 2,000-Year-Old Wonder Drug, just published in the New York Times.
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