Rimegepant: acute treatment for migraine headaches

Migraine headache treatment is quickly evolving. There have been three new acute migraine treatment options (i.e., lasmiditan, rimegepant, ubrogepant) and four new preventive migraine treatment options (i.e., erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, eptinezumab) released in the past 3 years. The new migraine treatments are focusing on pathways within the newly, better understood neurovascular hypothesis that further describes the pathophysiology of migraine headaches in more detail than before. The discovery of vasoactive peptides, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide, has led to the development of many of these migraine agents. Rimegepant is one of these newly approved agents for acute migraine treatment in adults with or without aura. Rimegepant has been found to decrease pain and symptoms associated with migraine attacks and is generally well-tolerated. Lay abstract Migraine headache treatment is quickly evolving. There have been three new fast-acting treatment options (i.e., lasmiditan, rimegepant, ubrogepant) and four new treatment options to preventive migraine headaches (i.e., erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, eptinezumab) approved for patient use in the past 3 years. The new migraine treatments are designed to target a new pathway to help treat patients suffering from migraine headaches. Researchers have discovered a new substance calcitonin gene-related peptide, within the body to specifically target to help treat or prevent a migraine headache. This article will focus on rimegepant, one of these newly approved agents for acute migraine treatment in adults. Clinical studies have found rimegepant decreases pain and symptoms related to migraine attacks and is generally well-tolerated.