Study Reveals Blood Pressure Medication May Revolutionize Migraine Treatment

(MENAFN) A groundbreaking discovery by Norwegian researchers suggests that a widely used blood pressure medication could significantly impact the treatment of migraines, according to a report by a Norwegian broadcaster, on Friday.

The study, conducted across nine Norwegian hospitals and one in Estonia between 2021 and 2024, revealed that candesartan, a drug typically prescribed to regulate high blood pressure, could "change the way migraines are treated worldwide."

Lise Rystad Oie, the study's lead researcher, expressed excitement over the findings, saying, “We have been waiting for this study. And now we think that this medicine will be the first choice. This is what we are starting to test preventively.”

The research, described as the "largest and most thorough study to date," involved nearly 500 participants, aged 18–64, who experienced two to eight migraine episodes each month. Results indicated that candesartan can effectively prevent migraine attacks in individuals who experience fewer than 15 headache days each month.

In a significant revelation, the study pointed out that candesartan’s benefits were comparable to newer, more expensive migraine treatments, yet without the severe side effects often associated with those alternatives.

The researchers emphasized that the drug—already available at an affordable price in Norwegian pharmacies, following the expiration of its patent—could offer a low-cost, global solution for migraine sufferers.

"We want to get candesartan on the WHO list of essential medicines. This way, people all over the world can have access to safe and affordable treatment," Oie concluded.

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