Calcium Entry Blockers in Migraine Prophylaxis — A Critical Review of Therapeutic Trials

Calcium entry blockers are powerful antivasoconstrictive drugs with specific binding sites in vascular smooth muscle cells, in brain, and in cardiac and striated muscle membranes. Although the role of vasoconstriction and cerebral hypoxia as the instigators of a migraine attack is still under debate (Olesen et al. 1981 b, c; Amery 1982), calcium blockers have been introduced for migraine prophylaxis on the theoretical basis of being protective against cerebral vasoconstriction and brain hypoxia.