#24: erenumab (Aimovig) | 3 Months of Migraine Days Per Year May Get Eliminated

Aimovig is currently the brand-only drug for erenumab. Erenumab is used in the prevention of migraines in adults. The drug comes as a 70 mg/mL or 140 mg/mL subcutaneous autoinjector that is used for one dose every month. Aimovig is considered various things being called a calcitonin gene-related (CGRP) receptor antagonist or CGRP inhibitor, a monoclonal antibody, and an antimigraine agent. Erenuman blocks the CGRP receptor which decreases the CGRP protein which is known as the cause for intense inflammation in the meninges and nerve endings in the brain. Although there are not any direct drug interactions of note, patients should be aware of injection site reactions such as pain, redness, and swelling. The main side effects of note are constipation and increased blood pressure. Increasing blood pressure is particularly of note due to disease related concerns in patients with cardiovascular disease. When monitoring patients it is appropriate to check blood pressure regularly along with the number of migraine days they experience. There are particular storage requirements for Aimovig and once opened from original container it can be stored in room temperature but should be discarded after 7 days.  Go to DrugCardsDaily.com to find past FREE PDFs of the drug card sheets that were used for the show. SUBSCRIBE on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or search for us on your favorite place to listen to podcasts. I plan to continue going over the Top 100-200 Drugs as well as occasionally throwing in one of the newly released drugs that peak my interest. Also, if you’d like to say hello, suggest a drug, or leave any constructive feedback on the show thus far I’d really appreciate it! Leave a voice message at anchor.fm/drugcardsdaily or message us through twitter @drugcardsdaily