A new study suggests that GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, may reduce the need for migraine medication and emergency care in people with chronic migraines. The preliminary research, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in April, compared 11,000 patients starting GLP-1 drugs with 11,000 starting topiramate, a common migraine preventive.
Over the following year, those taking GLP-1 drugs were about 10 per cent less likely to visit the emergency department, 14 per cent less likely to be hospitalised, and almost 50 per cent less likely to be prescribed new preventive migraine medications. The study only shows an association, not causation.
Dr Vitoria Acar, lead author from the University of São Paulo, noted that chronic migraine often overlaps with conditions like obesity and insulin resistance, and that GLP-1 drugs’ anti-inflammatory effects may play a role. Over 1.6 million Britons take these drugs for weight loss.
