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Mechanistic Deep Dive
CGRP Pathway
- CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) â potent vasodilator
- Released during migraine attack from trigeminovascular system
- Targets:
- mAbs to CGRP ligand: fremanezumab, galcanezumab, eptinezumab
- mAb to CGRP receptor: erenumab
- Small-molecule receptor antagonists (gepants): ubrogepant, rimegepant, atogepant, zavegepant
Triptan Mechanism
- 5HT-1B/1D agonist
- Vasoconstriction + presynaptic inhibition of CGRP release
- CV risk
Lasmiditan (Ditan) Mechanism
- 5HT-1F agonist
- No vasoconstriction
- Safe in CAD
- Sedation, dizziness
Migraine Pathophysiology
- Cortical spreading depression (aura)
- Trigeminovascular activation
- Neurogenic inflammation
- CGRP, PACAP, substance P
- Central sensitization
Recent Trials & Updates
Anti-CGRP mAbs (2018-)
- Erenumab approved 2018 (first)
- Galcanezumab + fremanezumab 2018
- Eptinezumab 2020
- Reduce migraine days
- Generally well tolerated
- Side effects: constipation (erenumab), injection site, HTN possible
Gepants Acute Treatment
- Ubrogepant (2019)
- Rimegepant (2020) â also prevention
- Zavegepant nasal (Zavzpret) FDA 2023
Atogepant (Qulipta) Prevention
- 2021 FDA episodic, 2023 chronic
- Daily oral
- Effective preventive
Galcanezumab for Cluster
- FDA 2019 episodic cluster
- CONQUER trial
- First mAb for cluster
Plasma CGRP
- Elevated during attacks
- Returns to normal with successful treatment
- Investigational biomarker
Anti-PACAP
- Lu AG09222 (Lundbeck)
- Phase 3 trials
- New mechanism
High-Yield Specialist Points
Hemiplegic Migraine
- Rare, often familial
- Motor aura
- AVOID triptans + ergots (theoretical stroke risk)
- Use gepants, lasmiditan
- FHM mutations: CACNA1A, ATP1A2, SCN1A
Vestibular Migraine
- Vertigo + migraine
- May or may not have headache during episode
- Vestibular symptoms 5 min - 72 hr
- Treatment similar to migraine
Status Migrainosus
- Severe migraine > 72 hours
- ED treatment: fluids, antiemetics, NSAIDs, DHE
- Hospitalization if needed
Migraine and Stroke
- Migraine with aura â mild â ischemic stroke risk
- Avoid combined OCP if migraine with aura + smoking/age > 35
- Hemiplegic migraine: more concern
CV Risk with Triptans
- Theoretical, rarely clinically significant
- Avoid if CAD, stroke, uncontrolled HTN
- Lasmiditan and gepants alternative
Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS)
- Thunderclap headache, recurrent
- Postpartum, vasoactive drugs (cocaine, SSRI)
- Beaded vessels on angiography
- Self-limited, but can cause stroke/hemorrhage
- Avoid vasoconstrictors
Cervical Artery Dissection
- Trauma or spontaneous
- Headache + neck pain + Horner (carotid) or vertigo (vertebral)
- Stroke risk
- CTA/MRA
- Antiplatelet or anticoagulation
Headache in Cancer Patients
- Brain metastases
- LM disease (carcinomatous meningitis)
- Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (hypercoagulable)
- Treatment-related (PD-1 inhibitor hypophysitis)
Pearls
- SNOOP10 for red flags
- Migraine acute: NSAIDs â triptans â gepants/lasmiditan if CV contraindication
- Migraine preventive: traditional (topiramate, β-blocker, TCA, valproate, BTX-A) or CGRP-targeted (mAbs, atogepant, rimegepant)
- Cluster acute: O2 + SC sumatriptan
- Cluster preventive: verapamil + galcanezumab
- Indomethacin response = paroxysmal hemicrania or hemicrania continua
- GCA urgent steroids
- IIH acetazolamide
- Thunderclap â SAH workup
- MOH identify + withdraw + bridge + preventive