Preventing Migraine with Electroencephalogram: A Comparative Study of the Treatment Effects of Valproate Sodium and Propranolol With Tricyclic Antidepressants

Migraine is one of the widespread discases in the word, being 15-20 percent prevalent in women, and 6 percent in men. The attacks resulting from the migraine usually range from minor to major, and even may make the patient unable to work. Its dangerous and permanenet effects may also led to paralysis of different parts of the body. Therefore, it is necessary to do more investigations concerning diagnosis and drug treatments which can prevent the migraine attacks better.

The study was a randomized controlled trial which lasted for six months. The patients have been studied through different ways including case history, checkup. electroencephalogram (EEG), computed tomography scanning, blood sampling, kidney and liver function and starting time of the treatment. Successful treatment responses to control migrainc attacks using the prophylactic drugs. Valproate Sodium and Propranolol with tricyclic antidepression drugs, i.e., Amitriptyline and/or Nortriptyline were studied.

Of 126 patients studied (31.8% were men and 68.2% women), 65.1% had normal EEG and 34.9% had abnormal EEG. The patients using Valproate Sodium with normal and abnormal EEG had successful treatment responses equal to 35% and 95.6%, respectively. Additionally, other patients using Propranolol with tricyclic antidepressant Amitriptyline and/or Nortriptyline with normal and abnormal EEGs had successful treatment responses equal to 61.9% and 28.6%, respectively. Statistically, the results were significantly different. However, there were not significant differences between interactive effects of the drugs in sexes, and sexes in EEG types. The most prevalent side effects due to Valproate Sodium and Propranolol with tricyclic antidepressant drugs, i.e., Amitriptyline and/or Nortiptyline were vertigo and exhaustation, respectively.

This study revealed that the best treatment to prevent migraine attacks was using Valproate Sodium tablets in patients with abnormal EEGs, and using Propranolol tablets along with Amitriptyline and/or Nortriptyline for those who had normal EEG.