Prophylactic Therapy for Migraine.

The term migraine is derived from the ancient Greek word hemicrania introduced by Galen in approximately 200 AD. However, descriptions of "sick headache" have been found dating back to as far as 3000 BC. Despite this, migraine is a condition that still remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. The development of effective abortive agents, such as the triptans, have had a significant impact on migraine management, but there still remains a substantial proportion of migraineurs in whom further medication is required in the form of preventatives. These have the potential to transform the lives of many migraine sufferers.