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About a third of people with migraine would benefit from preventive treatment yet only a small proportion of those are receiving this therapy, and even then, discontinuation rates tend to be high, research shows.

The main reason for this discrepancy is that oral preventive medications, none of which were designed specifically for migraine, are often inadequately effective or associated with side effects, according to Melbourne-based neurologist, Dr Christina Sun-Edelstein.   

“Adherence rates with these drugs, which include various treatments for hypertension, epilepsy and depression, are low because of poor tolerability and efficacy,” says Dr Sun-Edelstein who runs the Headache Clinic at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.