A large study led by the University of Oxford has identified triptans as the most effective drugs for treating acute migraines in adults. The study, involving over 89,000 participants, compared 17 oral medications and was published in The British Medical Journal.
Among the triptans, eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan were highlighted as the top-performing drugs, with eletriptan offering the best pain relief after two hours and up to 24 hours when combined with ibuprofen.
Prof Andrea Cipriani, the study’s lead author, emphasized that triptans are underused and should be prioritized for treating migraines. The research aims to inform future guidelines and help tailor migraine treatments more effectively. However, Robert Music, CEO of The Migraine Trust, noted that some patients may not respond well to triptans or could experience side effects.