Sumatriptan (Oral)

October 2nd, 2021 | drugs

Generic name: sumatriptan (soo-ma-TRIP-tan)
Drug class: Antimigraine agents

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

Imitrex

Available Dosage Forms:

Tablet

Therapeutic Class: Antimigraine

Pharmacologic Class: Serotonin Receptor Agonist, 5-HT1

Uses for sumatriptan

Sumatriptan is used to treat acute migraine headaches in adults. It is not used to prevent migraine headaches and is not used for cluster headaches. Sumatriptan works in the brain to relieve the pain from migraine headaches. It belongs to the group of medicines called triptans.

Many people find that their headaches go away completely after they take sumatriptan. Other people find that their headaches are much less painful, and that they are able to go back to their normal activities even though their headaches are not completely gone. Sumatriptan often relieves other symptoms that occur together with a migraine headache, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound.

Sumatriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It will not relieve pain other than from migraine headaches. Sumatriptan is usually used for people whose headaches are not relieved by acetaminophen, aspirin, or other pain relievers.

Sumatriptan has caused serious side effects in some people, especially people who have heart or blood vessel disease. Be sure that you discuss with your doctor the risks of using sumatriptan as well as the benefits that it can have.

Sumatriptan is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using sumatriptan

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For sumatriptan, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sumatriptan or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of sumatriptan in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Use of sumatriptan is not recommended in elderly patients with kidney problems, heart or blood vessel disease, or high blood pressure, and should not be used by elderly patients with liver problems.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking sumatriptan, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using sumatriptan with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Almotriptan
Bromocriptine
Dihydroergotamine
Eletriptan
Ergoloid Mesylates
Ergonovine
Ergotamine
Frovatriptan
Furazolidone
Iproniazid
Isocarboxazid
Linezolid
Methylene Blue
Methylergonovine
Methysergide
Moclobemide
Naratriptan
Nialamide
Phenelzine
Procarbazine
Rasagiline
Rizatriptan
Safinamide
Selegiline
Tranylcypromine
Zolmitriptan

Using sumatriptan with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Alfentanil
Amineptine
Amitriptyline
Amitriptylinoxide
Amoxapine
Amphetamine
Benzhydrocodone
Benzphetamine
Buprenorphine
Butorphanol
Citalopram
Clomipramine
Codeine
Desipramine
Desvenlafaxine
Dexfenfluramine
Dextroamphetamine
Dibenzepin
Dihydrocodeine
Dolasetron
Doxepin
Duloxetine
Escitalopram
Fenfluramine
Fentanyl
Fluoxetine
Fluvoxamine
Granisetron
Hydrocodone
Hydromorphone
Imipramine
Lasmiditan
Levomilnacipran
Levorphanol
Lisdexamfetamine
Lithium
Lofepramine
Lorcaserin
Melitracen
Meperidine
Metaxalone
Methamphetamine
Milnacipran
Mirtazapine
Morphine
Morphine Sulfate Liposome
Nalbuphine
Nefazodone
Nortriptyline
Ondansetron
Opipramol
Oxycodone
Oxymorphone
Palonosetron
Paroxetine
Pentazocine
Protriptyline
Reboxetine
Remifentanil
Sertraline
Sibutramine
St John's Wort
Sufentanil
Tapentadol
Tianeptine
Tramadol
Trazodone
Trimipramine
Venlafaxine
Vilazodone
Vortioxetine
Ziprasidone

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Proper use of sumatriptan

Do not use sumatriptan for a headache that is different from your usual migraines. Talk to your doctor about what to do for regular headaches.

To relieve your migraine as soon as possible, use sumatriptan as soon as the headache pain begins. Even if you get warning signals of a coming migraine (an aura), you should wait until the headache pain starts before using sumatriptan.

Ask your doctor ahead of time about any other medicine you might take if sumatriptan does not work. After you use the other medicine, check with your doctor as soon as possible. Headaches that are not relieved by sumatriptan are sometimes caused by conditions that need other treatment.

If you feel much better after a dose of sumatriptan, but your headache comes back or gets worse after a while, wait at least 2 hours before taking another dose. However, use sumatriptan only as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, and do not use it more often, than directed. Using too much sumatriptan may increase the chance of side effects. Do not take more than 200 mg in 24 hours.

Swallow the tablet whole with water or other liquids. Do not crush, break, or chew it.

You may take the tablet with or without food.

Sumatriptan comes with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Dosing

The dose of sumatriptan will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of sumatriptan. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For migraine headaches:
  - Adults—25, 50, or 100 milligrams (mg) as a single dose. If you get some relief, or if the migraine comes back after being relieved, another dose may be taken 2 hours after the last dose. Do not take more than 200 mg in any 24-hour period.
  - Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Detailed Sumatriptan dosage information

Precautions while using sumatriptan

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to use it.

Check with your doctor if you used sumatriptan and it did not work. Also, check with your doctor if your migraine headaches are worse or if they are occurring more often since you started using sumatriptan.

You should not use sumatriptan if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as phenelzine (Nardil®) or tranylcypromine (Parnate®) within the past 2 weeks. Do not use sumatriptan if you have taken other triptan migraine medicines or ergot-type medicines within the past 24 hours. Some examples of triptan medicines are almotriptan (Axert®), eletriptan (Relpax®), naratriptan (Amerge®), or zolmitriptan (Zomig®). Some examples of ergot-type medicines are dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Bellergal®, Cafergot®, Ergomar®, Wigraine®), or methysergide (Sansert®).

Sumatriptan may cause problems if you have heart disease. If your doctor thinks you might have a problem with sumatriptan, he or she may want you to take your first dose in the doctor’s office or clinic.

Sumatriptan may increase your risk of having abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, angina, or stroke. This is more likely to occur if you or a family member already has heart disease, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if you smoke. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of a heart problem, such as chest pain or discomfort, an uneven heartbeat, nausea or vomiting, pain or discomfort in the shoulders, arms, jaw, back, or neck, shortness of breath, or sweating. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of a stroke, such as confusion, difficulty with speaking, double vision, headaches, an inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles, an inability to speak, or slow speech.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest discomfort, jaw or neck tightness after using sumatriptan. Also, tell your doctor if you have sudden or severe abdominal or stomach pain or bloody diarrhea after using sumatriptan.

Check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, or any other change in vision occurs during or after your treatment. Your eyes may need to be checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

Using sumatriptan alone or in combination with other migraine medicines for 10 or more days per month may lead to worsening of headache. You may keep a headache diary to record your headache frequency and drug use.

Make sure your doctor knows about all the other medicines you are using. Sumatriptan may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome when taken with some medicines. This especially includes medicines used to treat depression, such as citalopram, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, Celexa®, Cymbalta®, Effexor®, Lexapro®, Luvox®, Paxil®, Prozac®, Sarafem®, Symbyax®, or Zoloft®. Check with your doctor right away if you have agitation, confusion, diarrhea, excitement while talking that is not normal, fever, overactive reflexes, poor coordination, restlessness, shivering, sweating, trembling or shaking that you cannot control, or twitching. These could be symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

Sumatriptan may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention. The most serious signs of this reaction are very fast or irregular breathing, gasping for breath, wheezing, or fainting. Other signs may include changes in color of the skin of the face, very fast but irregular heartbeat or pulse, hive-like swellings on the skin, and puffiness or swellings of the eyelids or around the eyes. If these effects occur, get emergency help at once.

Drinking alcoholic beverages can make headaches worse or cause new headaches to occur. People who suffer from severe headaches should probably avoid alcoholic beverages, especially during a headache.

Some people feel dizzy or drowsy during or after a migraine, or using sumatriptan to relieve a migraine. As long as you are feeling dizzy or drowsy, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert.

Sumatriptan side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Abdominal or stomach pain
anxiety
blurred vision
changes in patterns and rhythms of speech
chest pain or tightness
chills
confusion
dizziness
fast, slow, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
headache
muscle cramps and stiffness
neck, throat, or jaw pain
nightmares
shivering
sweating
swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
tightness in the chest
trouble breathing

Rare

Blindness
chest pain or discomfort
chest tightness or heaviness
flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid
itching, pain, redness, or swelling
lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
nerve pain
severe numbness, especially on one side of the face or body
severe or continuing stomach pain
trouble speaking or swallowing
twitching
unusual bleeding or bruising
vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
weakness of the arms and legs

Incidence not known

Agitation
back, leg, or stomach pains
bleeding gums
changes in vision
muscle twitching
pinpoint red spots on the skin
poor coordination
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
restlessness
skin rash, hives, or itching
unexplained bleeding or bruising
unusually warm skin
weakness in the arm or leg on one side of the body, sudden and severe

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them: