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Imitrex
Generic Name: sumatriptan succinate
Brand Name: Imitrex
Indications
Imitrex Tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura in adults.
Dosage and Administration
Each Imitrex Tablet for oral administration contains 35, 70, or 140 mg of sumatriptan succinate.
Normal Dosage:
In controlled clinical trials, single doses of 25, 50, or 100 mg of Imitrex Tablets were effective for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. There is evidence that doses of 50 and 100 mg may provide a greater effect than 25 mg. There is also evidence that doses of 100 mg do not provide a greater effect than 50 mg. Individuals may vary in response to doses of Imitrex Tablets. The choice of dose should therefore be made on an individual basis, weighing the possible benefit of a higher dose with the potential for a greater risk of adverse events.
Overdose: Overdose symptoms might include tremor, redness, or irregular breathing, large pupils, and chest pain.
Drug Description
Imitrex Tablets contain sumatriptan (as the succinate), a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine1 receptor subtype agonist. Sumatriptan succinate is chemically designated as 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-N-methyl-indole-5-methanesulfonamide succinate (1:1), and it has the following structure:
The empirical formula is C14H21N3O2S•C4H6O4, representing a molecular weight of 413.5. Sumatriptan succinate is a white to off-white powder that is readily soluble in water and in saline.
Side effects
If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop using Imitrex and seek emergency medical attention:
- an allergic reaction
- severe or prolonged chest pain or an irregular heartbeat
- chest, jaw, or neck pain or tightness
- sudden or severe stomach pain
- unusual weakness or numbness
Precautions
- Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities until you can evaluate the effects of the medicine.
- Do not take Imitrex without first talking to your doctor if you have heart disease including angina (chest pain), history of a heart attack, or high blood pressure.
- Before taking Imitrex, tell your doctor if you have:
- risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol (a type of fat in the blood), are overweight, have diabetes.
- have circulation problems such as Raynaud's syndrome
- liver disease
- kidney disease
- seizures or epilepsy
- You may require a special dosage or monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
- Imitrex belongs to the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
Drug Interactions
- Do not use without first talking to your doctor if you have taken any of the following medicines:
- an ergot-based medication such as methysergide (Sansert), ergotamine (Ergostat), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E., Migranal Nasal Spray), and ergotamine combination products (Cafergot, Ercaf, Wigraine, Cafatine, Cafatine-PB, Cafetrate)
- another migraine medicine such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT), or zolmitriptan (Zomig, Zomig-ZMT).
- Before using, tell your doctor if you are taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), or sertraline (Zoloft).
- Drugs other than those listed here may also interact. Talk to your doctor before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and medicines prescribed by other doctors.
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