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American Morning

'Paging Dr. Gupta'

Aired February 25, 2004 - 08:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More than 28 million people suffer from migraines. A new study found that an epilepsy drug is an effective treatment for these recurring headaches.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with details. It's actually a prevention, not just a treatment, right?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. A big distinction. The drug is called Topomax, usually used for seizures. It is a study now in "The Journal of the American Medical Association," the results very favorable in terms of preventing seizures.

Full disclosure: the study was funded by Johnson & Johnson.

The results, 50 percent reduction in migraine frequency if you take this medication. Again, a migraine medication. It's not FDA approved for this particular purpose yet. A lot of doctors have been using it off label for some time. It is expected to gain FDA approval soon, and will likely also be covered by insurance for that purpose as well. This is exciting, Soledad, because people have talked about migraine preventions for some time. This is the first drug in nine years that's actually been approved from this particular purpose. Also, take a look at this, it prevents migraines, specifically reduces the frequency and severity of migraines.

A side effect is weight loss, which is important, because people like weight loss, but also because a lot of the preventative treatments that are out there for migraines have actually caused weight gain. So this may have that beneficial unintended side effect as well.

O'BRIEN: So if it's a preventative treatment, what about actual agreement once you already have a migraine. Are there any ones out there that are as good or rival Topomax for its quality?

GUPTA: Well, the 50 percent reduction in migraine frequency is pretty good, probably some of the best in terms of prevention. There are medications out there. When you think about migraine medications, you typically think in three categories, preventions, like we're talking about. There's also something called abortives, meaning that you take it and it actually aborts the migraine. Then there's just standard over-the-counter sort of medication. Triptans, you may have heard of that of medications if you've ever had migraines. Triptans basically are abortives. Then there are medications like is Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin, which people take for headaches. Some may have some impact on migraines as well. O'BRIEN: But a headache isn't a migraine. I mean, anybody who has ever had a migraine, it's like being whacked in the head with a two-by-four.

GUPTA: It's a really, really bad headache, and it's an important distinction, because most headaches are not migraines, although they can be very common. Tension headaches are going to be the most common. Those are the ones that start right up here, usually related to tension in some way. Migraine headaches are going to more neurological. Also there is a hereditary component. So if your mother, your father had them, more common in women, then you're more likely to have them as well. Women account for about 70 percent of all migraine suffers.

Also, the headache itself if just a different sort of headache. Usually, it's just on one side of the head. It's a throbbing sort of headache, and you get what's called photophobic, which mean bright lights really bother you. Oftentimes you're nauseated. Migraine sufferers commonly tell me as a doctor, they just want to go into a dark room, and sleep for a while.

O'BRIEN: Lie down until it goes away.

GUPTA: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Any negative side effects.

GUPTA: The Topomax, a lot of these epilitic medications can also give you dry mouth. Sometimes they're going to make you a little bit sleepy. Those can be side effects. It doesn't appear to be too bad, though, so far on this medication.

O'BRIEN: Sanjay, good news for folks who suffer. My mother-in- law and other friends of mine really have a tough time with it. It's been really hard for people to get their hands on something that really works.

GUPTA: Yes, this might be good for them.

O'BRIEN: Thank you.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 25, 2004 - 08:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: More than 28 million people suffer from migraines. A new study found that an epilepsy drug is an effective treatment for these recurring headaches.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with details. It's actually a prevention, not just a treatment, right?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. A big distinction. The drug is called Topomax, usually used for seizures. It is a study now in "The Journal of the American Medical Association," the results very favorable in terms of preventing seizures.

Full disclosure: the study was funded by Johnson & Johnson.

The results, 50 percent reduction in migraine frequency if you take this medication. Again, a migraine medication. It's not FDA approved for this particular purpose yet. A lot of doctors have been using it off label for some time. It is expected to gain FDA approval soon, and will likely also be covered by insurance for that purpose as well. This is exciting, Soledad, because people have talked about migraine preventions for some time. This is the first drug in nine years that's actually been approved from this particular purpose. Also, take a look at this, it prevents migraines, specifically reduces the frequency and severity of migraines.

A side effect is weight loss, which is important, because people like weight loss, but also because a lot of the preventative treatments that are out there for migraines have actually caused weight gain. So this may have that beneficial unintended side effect as well.

O'BRIEN: So if it's a preventative treatment, what about actual agreement once you already have a migraine. Are there any ones out there that are as good or rival Topomax for its quality?

GUPTA: Well, the 50 percent reduction in migraine frequency is pretty good, probably some of the best in terms of prevention. There are medications out there. When you think about migraine medications, you typically think in three categories, preventions, like we're talking about. There's also something called abortives, meaning that you take it and it actually aborts the migraine. Then there's just standard over-the-counter sort of medication. Triptans, you may have heard of that of medications if you've ever had migraines. Triptans basically are abortives. Then there are medications like is Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin, which people take for headaches. Some may have some impact on migraines as well. O'BRIEN: But a headache isn't a migraine. I mean, anybody who has ever had a migraine, it's like being whacked in the head with a two-by-four.

GUPTA: It's a really, really bad headache, and it's an important distinction, because most headaches are not migraines, although they can be very common. Tension headaches are going to be the most common. Those are the ones that start right up here, usually related to tension in some way. Migraine headaches are going to more neurological. Also there is a hereditary component. So if your mother, your father had them, more common in women, then you're more likely to have them as well. Women account for about 70 percent of all migraine suffers.

Also, the headache itself if just a different sort of headache. Usually, it's just on one side of the head. It's a throbbing sort of headache, and you get what's called photophobic, which mean bright lights really bother you. Oftentimes you're nauseated. Migraine sufferers commonly tell me as a doctor, they just want to go into a dark room, and sleep for a while.

O'BRIEN: Lie down until it goes away.

GUPTA: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Any negative side effects.

GUPTA: The Topomax, a lot of these epilitic medications can also give you dry mouth. Sometimes they're going to make you a little bit sleepy. Those can be side effects. It doesn't appear to be too bad, though, so far on this medication.

O'BRIEN: Sanjay, good news for folks who suffer. My mother-in- law and other friends of mine really have a tough time with it. It's been really hard for people to get their hands on something that really works.

GUPTA: Yes, this might be good for them.

O'BRIEN: Thank you.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com