Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : March 11, 2023 5:15 PM IST
Is nasal spray better than oral medications for migraines?
Migraine is classified as the second leading cause of disability in the world by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Migraine attacks can last from 4 to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, such as throbbing headaches, nausea or vomiting, phonophobia (sensitivity to sound) and photophobia (sensitivity to light).
Good news for people who have migraines! The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a nasal spray for migraines that can provide pain relief in just 15 minutes.
Developed by Pfizer, the nasal spray called zavegepant demonstrated fast relief from migraine symptoms in clinical trials, the results of which were published in the journal Lancet Neurology.
It will be sold as Zavzpret, the company said, as quoted by a news agency.
In the clinical trial that included 1,269 migraine patients, 24 per cent of the participants who used Zavzpret reported freedom from pain, compared to about 15 per cent who took a placebo. Also, a greater number of participants who took the medication reported returning to normal function 30 minutes to two hours after taking it.
For people who cannot take oral medications for migraines due to nausea or vomiting, this nasal spray offers an alternative and effective option for pain relief.
According to Pfizer, Zavzpret uses a migraine inhibitor that blocks the release of proteins called calcitonin gene-related peptides, which have been found present in greater volume during a migraine attack causing inflammation and pain. Pfizer claims that this is the first and only nasal spray for migraines using such inhibitor.
The nasal spray is expected to be available in pharmacies in July this year, but Pfizer didn't disclose how much it will cost.
In the Zavzpret study, some participants who took the medication reported some minor side effects like an altered sense of taste, nasal discomfort and nausea.
