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. 2019 Dec 2;27(4):609–618. doi: 10.1111/ene.14114

Table 3.

Reasons for discontinuation of previous migraine prevention therapy in patients with ≥1 prior preventive failure in EVOLVE studies (N = 453)

 

Inadequate efficacy

n (%)

No efficacy

n (%)

Safety/tolerability

n (%)

Overall

n (%)

Antiepileptic 199 (43.9) 54 (11.9) 46 (10.2) 280 (61.8)
Topiramate 181 (40.0) 39 (8.6) 32 (7.1) 246 (54.3)
Valproate 28 (6.2) 10 (2.2) 12 (2.6) 49 (10.8)
Gabapentin 8 (1.8) 4 (0.9) 0 (0.0) 12 (2.6)
Zonisamide 4 (0.9) 3 (0.7) 3 (0.7) 10 (2.2)
Pregabalin 1 (0.2) 3 (0.7) 3 (0.7) 6 (1.3)
Ergenyl® chrono 2 (0.4) 1 (0.2) 2 (0.4) 5 (1.1)
Beta blocker 95 (21.0) 32 (7.1) 19 (4.2) 145 (32.0)
Propranolol 64 (14.1) 16 (3.5) 14 (3.1) 94 (20.8)
Metoprolol 15 (3.3) 9 (2.0) 6 (1.3) 30 (6.6)
Nadolol 9 (2.0) 4 (0.9) 1 (0.2) 14 (3.1)
Antidepressant 100 (22.1) 25 (5.5) 25 (5.5) 140 (30.9)
Amitriptyline 67 (14.8) 16 (3.5) 12 (2.6) 92 (20.3)
Nortriptyline 16 (3.5) 4 (0.9) 1 (0.2) 21 (4.6)
Venlafaxine 7 (1.5) 2 (0.4) 6 (1.3) 15 (3.3)
Duloxetine 2 (0.4) 3 (0.7) 2 (0.4) 6 (1.3)
Escitalopram 2 (0.4) 1 (0.2) 3 (0.7) 6 (1.3)
Calcium channel blocker 26 (5.7) 13 (2.9) 10 (2.2) 48 (10.6)
Flunarizine 19 (4.2) 9 (2.0) 8 (1.8) 35 (7.7)
Verapamil 3 (0.7) 3 (0.7) 1 (0.2) 7 (1.5)
Botulinum toxin type A 16 (3.5) 16 (3.5) 0 31 (6.8)
Angiotensin II antagonists 10 (2.2) 6 (1.3) 2 (0.4) 18 (4.0)
Supplements 16 (3.5) 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 17 (3.8)
Magnesium 9 (2.0) 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 10 (2.2)
Riboflavin 5 (1.1) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 5 (1.1)
Antihistamines 9 (2.0) 0 (0.0) 3 (0.7) 12 (2.6)
Pizotifen 9 (2.0) 0 (0.0) 3 (0.7) 12 (2.6)
Muscle relaxant 6 (1.3) 2 (0.4) 0 (0.0) 8 (1.8)
Tizanidine 5 (1.1) 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 6 (1.3)
NSAIDs 3 (0.7) 3 (0.7) 1 (0.2) 7 (1.5)
Antipsychotic 2 (0.4) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (0.4)
ACE inhibitors 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (0.2)
Ergot alkaloids 0 (0.0) 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 1 (0.2)
Triptan 1 (0.2) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (0.2)

ACE, angiotensin‐converting enzyme; NSAID, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs.

A full list of drugs with reasons for failure is presented in Appendix S1. Individual medications included here are those that were failed by >1% of patients for efficacy and/or safety/tolerability reasons. Medications identified in the treatment guidelines as having been investigated for preventive use 5, 15 were used to restrict the list of preventives reported by the investigative sites.