CGRP treatments have a generally favourable safety profile in the trials and clinical use to date, with injection-site reactions and constipation among the most commonly reported effects. They are a preventive option for frequent migraine, not a treatment for an attack in progress.
CGRP treatments have a generally favourable safety profile in the trials and clinical use to date, with injection-site reactions and constipation among the most commonly reported effects. They are a preventive option for frequent migraine, not a treatment for an attack in progress.
CGRP stands for calcitonin gene-related peptide, a molecule involved in migraine. These treatments block either the peptide or its receptor, and are given as an injection at intervals or, for some agents, as a tablet. They are preventive: the aim is fewer migraine days per month, not stopping an attack that has already started.
Injection-site reactions such as redness or soreness are among the most commonly reported. Constipation has been reported with some agents and can be significant for a minority. Less commonly, raised blood pressure and hypersensitivity reactions have been described. Because these agents are newer than most migraine preventives, long-term data continue to accumulate.
Anyone pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding should discuss this specifically, since data are limited. People with significant cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension or a history of severe constipation warrant an individual discussion. As with any preventive, the question is whether the reduction in migraine days justifies the trade-offs for you. If you are already taking another preventive, ask whether it should continue, stop or taper, because running two without a plan makes it impossible to tell which is working. And keep a simple record of headache days from the start rather than beginning it once you suspect the treatment is failing, since the comparison is what makes the decision.
Clinical Neurology Specialists has been physician-owned since 1998, when Leo Germin, M.D., FAANEM founded it. Five board-certified neurologists and four advanced practice providers see patients at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices, each with its own AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratory.
Clinical Neurology Specialists is an adult outpatient neurology practice for patients 18 and older. The practice performs no surgery and operates no imaging suite, infusion suite or interventional pain programme, and provides no emergency or inpatient care.
Physician-reviewed. Reviewed by the physicians of Clinical Neurology Specialists — board-certified neurologists, AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratories, physician-owned since 1998. Reviewed 1 August 2026. This article is general education for adults 18 and older and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Sources and further reading: American Academy of Neurology; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Adults 18 and older, at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices. Call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.