Migraine Patient Survey

Provided By:

About This Research

• The overall objective of this research is to explore the unmet migraine treatment needs of migraine sufferers.

• Additional objectives of this research are to:• Understand patient perceptions and attitudes toward current

treatment methods • Determine key attributes associated with effective treatments• Identify expectations of treatment and where current treatments

are falling short

Objective

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Research Methodology

National custom telephone survey

Among medically diagnosed migraine patients 18-64 years of age

Total n = 500 with an overall margin of error of ± 4.5%, in 95 out of 100 cases.

Computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Data collected March 19- March 27, 2010

Who

How Many

How

When

What

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Key Takeaways

Executive Summary

• Sufferers lack a standardized, effective treatment option for combating serious symptoms and side effects of migraines.

• The most common type of migraine attack, that affects 69% of sufferers, is the rapid onset migraine (it just sneaks up on you) with or without nausea and vomiting.

• And, over half (53%) of sufferers experience a migraine on a monthly basis.• And yet, three- fourths of sufferers (74%) admit they do not record their migraine

attacks.• When it comes to treatment options, over-the-counter medications (72%), lifestyle

management (72%), and prescription migraine treatments (57%) top sufferers most common lines of defense.

• Only half of migraine sufferers agree, when I get a migraine with nausea or vomiting, after taking my migraine medication, I typically get fast relief that allows me to get back to my work/life.

• And only 38% of sufferers strongly agree I am satisfied with how quickly my current medication works.

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Executive Summary

• Sufferers are talking to their doctors about the best treatment options available for their migraine episodes.

• Over half of oral medication users (55%) talk to their doctor about their migraine attacks once every 6-12 months.

• Most often sufferers admit they discuss ways to manage my migraine attacks (79%) and possible lifestyle changes (79%).

• In these conversations, 62% of oral medication users said they mentioned that prescription oral tablets don’t always work for all their migraine attacks.

• Users of oral prescriptions want an effective option to take during a migraine to help combat their serious symptoms.

• Over half (54%) of migraine sufferers use oral prescription medications to manage their migraines.

• Of those not taking prescriptions, cost (18%) and experienced side effects (14%) are the main reasons why many sufferers are not taking prescription medication to manage their migraines.

• Among oral medication users, half (54%) admit they have experienced migraine attacks where they didn’t think prescription oral tablets would be an effective treatment option.

• When prescription oral tablets aren’t an effective treatment option, one-quarter (23%) of sufferers admit they just have to wait it out and endure the headache.

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Executive Summary

• While sufferers are satisfied with their current treatment options, there is an opportunity to better meet sufferers overall needs.

• The majority of prescription medication users (87%) are satisfied with their current prescription medication.

• And yet, 31% of sufferers admit their doctor has prescribed more than one medication at a time to manage their migraines.

• Prescription medication users look to migraine medications to offer the quickest relief possible regardless of the form (41%), the ability to use the medication and continue with regular activities (38%), and for the medication to be lower in cost and covered by insurance (38%).

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Detailed Findings

Migraines: Managing The Pain

Frequency of Migraines

Q1. How often do you suffer from migraines? Would you say…?

• Over half of migraine sufferers admit to having a migraine at least once a month.

52% suffer at least once per month

How often do you suffer from migraines?

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Type of Migraine• Rapid onset migraines and migraines with nausea and/or vomiting occur most

often among sufferers.

Other migraine occurrence

Migraine upon waking in the morning

49%

26%

Rapid onset migraine

Migraine with nausea and/or vomiting

69%

66%

Q2. Do your migraines occur in any or all of the following ways? 12

Migraine Symptoms

Q3. Of these migraine attacks, which do you experience most frequently?

• And, over four in ten sufferers, report rapid onset migraines occur most frequently.

Which do experience most frequently?

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Tracking Your Migraines• And yet, only the minority of sufferers track their migraine attacks.

Q4. If you record your migraine attacks, what tools do you use? 14

Treatment Options Available • Sufferers are aware of a wide variety of treatment options including prescription

pills, OTC medications, and lifestyle management changes.

Q5. Which of the following migraine treatment options are you aware of? XX% reported none of the above15

Options For Treatment• And yet, the majority of sufferers admit they turn to over-the-counter medications to

treat their migraine attacks.

Q6. Which, if any, of the following best describes your current migraine treatment options?

N=500 Total %

I take over-the-counter medications to treat my migraine attacks 62

I take prescription medication when I feel a migraine coming on or begin experiencing migraine attacks

42

I take prescription medication, but wait to use it until I am sure it is really a migraine

36

I have stopped taking prescription/OTC medication to treat my migraine attacks

21

I take a daily prescription medication to prevent migraine attacks 16

I have never taken prescription medication to treat my migraine attacks 4

16

Current Treatments Being Used• Regularly sufferers try over-the-counter medications, lifestyle management, and

prescription oral pills or tablets to manage their migraines.

Q7. Which, if any, of the following best describes the current treatment options you use to manage your migraine?

N=500 Total %

Over-the-counter medications 72

Lifestyle management (e.g. diet, sleep, exercise, stress reduction)

72

Prescription oral pills or tablets 54

Alternative remedies including acupuncture, herbs, and chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation

30

Prescription injection 8

Prescription nasal spray 7

Prescription needle-free injection 3

Something else 52% reported none of the above

17

As suffers age, they are more likely to use

lifestyle management as a way to manage their migraines; ages 25-30

(56%), ages 31-35 (72%), ages 36-40 (76%), and

ages 41-45 (73%).

Prescription Medications• Of those taking prescription medications, Imitrex tablets are most often prescribed.

Q8. Which if any of the following prescription medications do you take for migraines?

Users of Rx Meds Total % N=284 Total %

Imitrex Tablets 42 AXERT 4

Maxalt 18 Amerge 4

Imitrex STATdose 13 Zomig Nasal Spray 3

Treximet 12 Ergotamines 3

Relpax 11 Frova 2

Imitrex nasal spray 10 SUMAVEL 1

Zomig Tablets 9 Something else 40

6% reported none of the above

69% of Sufferers take Oral Meds 56% admit to taking other forms (nasal sprays,

injections, etc…) of Rx meds

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Other Medications for Migraines

Q9. If you are not taking prescription medications to manage your migraine, please explain why? (Other Coded Responses)

• Other medications migraine sufferers are taking include: Topamax, butalbital/acetaminophen, and prescription and regular strength over-the-counter medications.

Word Cloud of Other responses

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Barriers To Prescription Medications

Q9. If you are not taking prescription medications to manage your migraine, please explain why?

• Barriers to prescription medications most often include cost and side effects.

N= 216 Those not taking a prescription medication

Why do you not use prescription medications to manage your migraine attacks?

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Midwesterners are significantly more concerned with cost than in other areas; Midwest (26%), Northeast (5%), South

(19%), and West (10%).

Barriers To Prescription Medications

Q9. If you are not taking prescription medications to manage your migraine, please explain why? (Other Coded Responses)

• And often times OTC medications works well enough or sufferers just don’t see a need for taking prescription medications.

Word Cloud of Other responses

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Satisfaction With Current Treatment Options

Satisfaction with Current Medication• Nearly nine in ten sufferers admit they are satisfied with their current prescription

medications.

Q10. Overall, how satisfied are you with your current prescription medication(s)? Are you…?

N= 284Those who use prescription medication

87% Very or

Somewhat Satisfied

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Oral prescription medication users

are more satisfied with their current

medication than users of other prescription

medications (89% vs. 62%).

Satisfaction with Speed of Treatment• While three-fourths of suffers admit they are satisfied with how quickly their

medication works, suffers are less satisfied with how quickly they can be back to work/life after taking migraine medications for migraines upon waking .

Q10. Overall, how satisfied are you with your current prescription medication(s)? Are you…? 24

% Agree

Important Attributes in a Medication• When it comes to relief, those who take prescription oral medications want a

medication that is inexpensive/covered by insurance and offers quick relief, while not disrupting their day.

Q11. What is the most important attribute of a prescription migraine medication?

N= 271 Those who take a n oral prescription medication Most Important

The quickest relief possible regardless of form (i.e. pill, nasal, injection, etc…) 41

Able to use medication and continue with regular activities 38

Lower cost, covered by insurance 38

Is effective at any stage of the migraine 32

Easy to use 29

Few side effects 24

I can use it effectively even when nauseated or vomiting 19

Long-lasting effect 17

No needle required to administer 16

Other 3

2% reported none of the above/not sure

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Current Attributes in Treatment Options• And yet, nearly half of prescription users don’t feel their medication provides the

quickest relief possible at a low cost.

Q12. Does your current treatment offer the following attributes?

N= 271 Those who take a n oral prescription medication Current Attributes

Easy to use 85

No needle required to administer 67

Few side effects 65

Able to use medication and continue with regular activities 65

The quickest relief possible regardless of form (i.e. pill, nasal, injection, etc…)

56

Lower cost, covered by insurance 56

Long-lasting effect 56

I can use it effectively even when nauseated or vomiting 56

Is effective at any stage of the migraine 53

Other 2

3% reported none of the above/not sure

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Satisfaction With Imitrex STATdose• Overall, sufferers who are prescribed Imitrex STATdose are satisfied with the way the

treatment relives their pain.

Q13. if you have ever been prescribed Imitrex STATdose (sumatriptan injection) to manage your migraine, how satisfied were you with how well it relieved your migraine?

N= 32 Those who use STATdose *Caution Small Base Size

84% Very or

Somewhat Satisfied

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Satisfaction With Ease of Use• And sufferers are satisfied with how easy it is to use STATdose.

Q14. How satisfied were you with how easy it was to use Imitrex STATdose (sumatriptan injection)?

91% Very or

Somewhat Satisfied

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N= 32 Those who use STATdose *Caution Small Base Size

Reasons for Not Trying STATdose• The majority of those not taking STATdose are not opposed to the medication or its

side effects, but rather were unaware of this type of medication or the doctor recommend another treatment.

Q15. Which of the following statements best describes why you have not used Imitrex STATdose (sumatriptan injection)?

2% reported not sure N= 355 Those not taking STATdose

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The Truth About Oral Medications

The Need For Alternative Options • Pills aren’t always an effective treatment option for the majority of migraine

sufferers.

Q20. If you use oral prescription migraine medications, have you ever experienced migraine attacks where you didn’t think prescription oral tablets would be an effective treatment option?

N= 271Those who take an oral prescription medication

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No44%

Yes 54%

Managing Migraines

Q21. When prescription oral tablets aren’t an effective treatment option given the nature of your migraine attack, how do you manage your migraine?

• And less than two in ten sufferers feel they have other prescribed medications when oral pills are not an option.

N= 271 Those who take prescription oral medication

When oral pills are not an option, how do you mange your migraine attacks?

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Sickness from Medications…

Q22. Have you ever delayed or avoided taking your medication due to nausea or vomiting resulting from the migraine?

• Nausea and vomiting prohibits one-third of sufferers from taking their prescription medications.

N= 271 Those who take prescription oral medication

Yes 37%

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No 63%

When I get a migraine with nausea or vomiting, after taking

my migraine medication, I typically get fast relief that

allows me to get back to my work/lifestyle

Getting Back to Life…

Q19. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following

• Nearly half of sufferers admit, they don’t get fast relief after taking their medication to relieve a migraine with nausea or vomiting.

N= 500

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54% Agree

46% Disagree

Discussing with Your Doctor…

Q24. have you mentioned to your doctor that prescription oral tablets don’t always work for all your migraine attacks, such as those that include nauseas or vomiting?

Yes 62%

• And two-thirds of sufferers admit they are talking to their doctors about this problem.

N= 271 Those who take prescription oral medication

35

No 36%

Talking With Your Doctor

Working With Your Doctor to Relieve Symptoms • The majority of sufferers discuss lifestyle changes and ways to manage their

migraine attacks with their doctors.

Q19. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following?

My doctor and I discuss lifestyle changes that could help prevent migraines from occurring

My doctor and I discuss ways to manage my migraine attacks

79% Agree

N=500

37

79% Agree

Seeking Migraine Knowledge• And, over half of sufferers are talking to their doctor twice a year or more about

their migraine attacks.

Q23. How often, if ever, do you talk to your doctor about your migraine attacks? 38

N= 271 Those who take prescription oral medication

1% reported not sure

One Problem, Multiple Medications… • Less than three in ten sufferers agree my doctor told me I need more than one

medication or treatment option to effectively manage my varying migraine occurrences.

25.

My doctor told me that I need more than one medication or

treatment option to effectively manage my varying migraine

occurrences.

Q19. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following?

N=500

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26% Agree

One Problem, Multiple Medications… • Yet, nearly one-third of patients have been prescribed multiple medications for

their migraine symptoms.

Yes 31%

Q16. Has your doctor ever prescribed more than one medication at a time (e.g. oral tablet and injection or nasal spray, etc…) to mange your migraine?

N=500

40

No 69%

Reasons for Multiple Medications

Q17. What was the primary reason for the doctor prescribing more than one medication at a time?

16% reported not sure

• Nearly one-third of sufferers admit I take one kind of medicine daily and a different one at the time of a migraine attack.

N= 154 Those taking more than one medication

41

Seeking Migraine Knowledge• Most often multiple medications are requested because the medicine didn’t relieve

the migraine symptoms.

Didn’t relieve my migraine

Didn’t work for certain migraine attacks

25%

Didn’t work fast enough

Caused side effects

8%

9%

17%

Q25. Which of the following is – or would be- the primary reason for asking your doctor about prescribing an alternative or additional treatment to oral tablets?

Didn’t ask the doctor for an alternative treatment

37%

N= 271Those who take an oral prescription medication

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Improving Treatment• When it comes to improving the current treatment methods, sufferers want

medication that works better, and overall is more affordable.

Q18. In your opinion, what if anything, can be done to improve your current treatment?

Word Cloud of Other responses

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APPENDIX A: DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographics

• Race/Ethnicity• White: 92%• Black: 2%• Hispanic:

2%• Other: 4%

• Age• 18-24: 0%• 25-30: 8%• 31-35: 33%• 36-40: 27%• 41-45: 32%• 45+: 0%

• Gender• Female: 88%• Male: 12%

• Income • Under $25K: 12%• $25K to 49,999: 22%• $50K to 74,999: 24%• $75K to 99,999: 16%• 100K or more: 15%

• Employment• Employed: 69%• Unemployed: 31%

• Region• Midwest: 39%• South: 33%• Northeast: 17%• West: 10%

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Attitudinal Statements

Q19. Please tell me how much you agree or disagree with each of the following?

Total %N=500

Agree(Strongly + Somewhat)

Strongly Agree

Somewhat Agree

My doctor and I discuss lifestyle changes that could help prevent migraines from occurring

79 56 22

My doctor and I discuss ways to manage my migraine attacks 79 54 25

I am satisfied with how quickly my migraine medication works 74 38 36

When my migraine comes on suddenly, after taking my migraine medication I typically get fast relief that allows me to get back to my work/life

64 25 39

When I awaken in the morning with a migraine, after taking my migraine medication I typically get fast relief that allows me to get back to my work/life

59 26 33

When I get a migraine with nausea or vomiting, after taking my migraine medication, I typically get fast relief that allows me to get back to my work/life

54 19 35

My doctor told me that I need more than one medication or treatment option to effectively manage my varying migraine occurrences (e.g. upon waking in the morning, with nausea/vomiting, rapid onset, etc…)

26 13 13

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