Heart hole migraine sufferers: could blood thinners be the answer?

NCT ID NCT05546320

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Fuwai Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This completed Phase 2 trial tested whether blood thinners (rivaroxaban) or antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel) work better than standard migraine medication (metoprolol) for people with both migraine and a small heart hole called PFO. 1,000 participants took one of the four drugs daily for 12 weeks. The main goal was to see if the drugs cut migraine days or attacks by at least half.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Aspirin, metoprolol, clopidogrel, or rivaroxaban
What this could lead to: If it works, this could show that blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs are better than standard migraine meds for people with a PFO, offering a new treatment option.
What could go wrong: This is a completed Phase 2 trial, so results are still early. The drugs may not work better than existing migraine treatments, and blood thinners carry bleeding risks.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

migraine disorder patent foramen ovale

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MIGRAINE PATENT FORAMEN OVALE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Affiliated Zunhua People's Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology

Zunhua, Hebei, China
Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
Central China Fuwai Hospital of Zhengzhou University

Zhengzhou, Henan, China
Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University

Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Dalian Municipal Central Hospital

Dalian, Liaoning, China
Dalian University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital

Dalian, Liaoning, China
Daqing Longnan Hospital

Daqing, Heilongjiang, China
First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University

Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital of Yunnan Province

Kunming, Yunnan, China
Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen Hospital

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Gansu Provincial Hospital

Lanzhou, Gansu, China
Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital

Guiyang, Guizhou, China
Hebei General Hospital

Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University

Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
Nanyang Central Hospital

Nanyang, Henan, China
National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Affiliated to Ningxia Medical University

Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
Qingdao Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital

Qingdao, Shandong, China
Shangqiu First People's Hospital

Shangqiu, Henan, China
Suzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University

Suzhou, Anhui, China
The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University

Hefei, Anhui, China
The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College

Chengdu, Sichuan, China
The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University

Kunming, Yunnan, China
The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC

Hefei, Anhui, China
The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University

Nanning, Guangxi, China
The Fourth People's Hospital of Shenyang

Shenyang, Liaoning, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Lanzhou University

Lanzhou, Gansu, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University

Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China
The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University

Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University

Jinan, Shandong, China
The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
West China Hospital of Sichuan University

Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital

Wuhan, Hubei, China
Xiangyang Central Hospital

Xiangyang, Hubei, China
Xingtai People's Hospital

Xingtai, Hebei, China
Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University

Zhengzhou, Henan, China
Zibo Central Hospital Affiliated to Binzhou Medical College

Zibo, Shandong, China

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