Zolmitriptan (By mouth)

zole-mi-TRIP-tan

Treats migraine headaches. This medicine does not prevent migraine headaches. This medicine is a triptan.

Drug classes

Antimigraine (About this – PubMed Health)

Uses

Uses of This Medicine

Zolmitriptan is used to treat acute migraine headaches in adults. It is not used to prevent migraine headaches and is not used for cluster headaches. Zolmitriptan 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 zolmitriptan. 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. Zolmitriptan often relieves symptoms that occur together with a migraine headache, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound.

Zolmitriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It should not be used to relieve any kind of pain other than migraine headaches. This medicine is usually used for people whose headaches are not relieved by acetaminophen, aspirin, or other pain relievers.

Zolmitriptan 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 this medicine as well as the benefits that it can do.

This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.

Other uses (PubMed Health)

How To Use

Tablet, Dissolving Tablet

Your doctor will tell you how much medicine to use. Do not use more than directed.

Keep the orally disintegrating tablet in the blister pack inside the outer foil pouch until you are ready to take the medicine. Make sure your hands are dry and peel open the blister to remove the tablet. Do not break the tablet. Place the tablet on your tongue and let it dissolve. You do not need to drink water to swallow the dissolved tablet.

If your headache does not get any better after 1 dose of medicine, you may use 1 additional dose of zolmitriptan if at least 2 hours have passed after the first dose. Do not use more than 2 doses in any 24-hour period.

Read and follow the patient instructions that come with this medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

If a dose is missed:

Use zolmitriptan only when you have a migraine. This medicine is not used on a regular schedule.

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep the medicine in the blister packs. Throw away any unused medicine after it has been taken out of the blister pack.

Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Make sure your doctor knows if you use cimetidine (Tagamet®) or a medicine for depression (such as amitriptyline, citalopram, fluoxetine, nortriptyline, sertraline, Cymbalta®, Effexor®, Elavil®, Lexapro®, Pristiq®).

When Not To Use

Do not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to zolmitriptan or if you have heart disease, blood vessel disease, or circulation problems. Do not use this medicine if you have high blood pressure that is not under control or a history of heart disease, heart attack, angina, heart rhythm problem, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ischemic bowel disease. Do not use this medicine for hemiplegic or basilar migraine headaches. Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, Nardil®, or Parnate® within the past 14 days. Do not use this medicine if you have taken another migraine headache medicine in the past 24 hours, such as another triptan or an ergot medicine. These medicines include almotriptan (Axert™), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), eletriptan (Relpax®), ergotamine (Cafergot®, Ergomar®, Wigraine®), frovatriptan (Frova®), rizatriptan (Maxalt®), or sumatriptan (Imitrex®, Treximet®).

Warnings

Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease. Tell your doctor if you have a history of stomach or bowel bleeding, Raynaud disease, or other blood flow problems.

This medicine should be used only for classic or common migraine headaches. It should not be used to treat any other kind of headache or pain.

This medicine can cause heart problems, including heart attack. This is more likely to happen if you already have heart disease. Tell your doctor if you have any risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease or stroke.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest discomfort, jaw or neck tightness after you take this medicine. Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or severe stomach pain or bloody diarrhea after you use this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have any changes in vision that are not part of your usual migraine.

Your headaches may become worse if you use zolmitriptan alone or in combination with other migraine medicines for 10 or more days per month. Keep a headache diary to record your headache frequency and drug use.

This medicine may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome when taken with certain medicines. Call your doctor right away if you have a fever, confusion, mental changes, restlessness, fast heartbeat, muscle spasms, trouble walking, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

This medicine may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

The orally disintegrating tablet contains phenylalanine. Tell your doctor if you have phenylketonuria (PKU) before you use this form of zolmitriptan.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.

Possible side effects

Summary More details

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially if it spreads to your arms, jaw, back, or neck

Fast or uneven heartbeat

Fever, confusion, mental changes, restlessness, muscle spasms, trouble walking

Numbness or tingling in your hands, arms, legs, or feet

Severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fever

Sudden severe headache (other than the one being treated)

Tightness or discomfort in your chest, neck, or jaw

Vision changes that are not part of a usual migraine

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

Feeling dizzy, drowsy, weak, or tired

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

More side effects of this drug

Brand names include

Zomig, Zomig-ZMT

There may be other brand names for this medicine.