Does Emgality raise blood pressure?
Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) is unlikely to raise blood pressure. During clinical trials (EVOLVE-1, EVOLVE-2, REGAIN, and CONQUER), less than 1% of people taking Emgality reported high blood pressure as a side effect.
A study of about 19,000 patients who took anti-CGRP treatment (including Emgality) found that anti-CGRP treatment is safe regarding blood pressure in patients without high blood pressure. However, researchers found that patients who already had high blood pressure and took an anti-CGRP treatment were more likely to need additional medications to control their blood pressure during treatment.
Only minimal changes in blood pressure were observed during a phase 3, 12-month safety study of Emgality in patients with migraine.
Whether you are taking Emgality or not, it is important to get your blood pressure checked regularly when you visit your healthcare provider. High blood pressure can damage many parts of your body, and lead to serious problems such as kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack.
Emgality is an injectable medication used to prevent migraines and treat episodic cluster headache. The most common side effect reported with using Emgality is injection site reactions. These can include pain, redness, and itching at the area where you inject the medication.
References
Camporeale, A., et. al. (2018). A phase 3, long-term, open-label safety study of Galcanezumab in patients with migraine. In: BMC Neurology. Accessed 06/10/2024 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6234796/
Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. (2022). Galcanezumab (Emgality): CADTH Reimbursement Review: Therapeutic area: Prevention of migraine [Internet]. Accessed 06/10/2024 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK596661/
Emgality [package insert]. (2021). Eli Lilly and Company. Accessed 06/12/2024 at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=33a147be-233a-40e8-a55e-e40936e28db0
Wang, K., et. al. (2023). Trajectory of blood pressure after initiating anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide treatment of migraine: a target trial emulation from the veterans health administration. In: The Journal of Headache and Pain. Accessed 06/12/2024 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10426172/
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Drug information
- Emgality Information for Consumers
- Emgality prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Emgality (detailed)
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