Rizatriptan (oral route)
Available brands
Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT, RizaFilm
About this medication
Rizatriptan is used to treat acute migraine headaches with or without aura. It is not used to prevent migraine headaches and is not used for cluster headaches. Rizatriptan 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 rizatriptan. 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. Rizatriptan often relieves other symptoms that occur together with a migraine headache, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound. Rizatriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It will not 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. Rizatriptan 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. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
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 this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine 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. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of rizatriptantabletsin children younger than 6 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of rizatriptanoral filmin children younger than 12 years of age and weighs less than 40 kilograms (kg). Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of rizatriptan in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, and age-related heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving rizatriptan. 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. 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 this medicine, 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 this medicine 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. Using this medicine 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. 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. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Using too much rizatriptan may increase the chance of side effects. Do not use this medicine for a headache that is not a migraine headache. Talk to your doctor about what to do for regular headaches. This medicine usually comes with patient information leaflet. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. To relieve your migraine as soon as possible,use this medicine 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 rizatriptan. Lying down in a quiet, dark room for a while after you use this medicine may help relieve your migraine. Ask your doctor ahead of time about any other medicine you may take if rizatriptan does not work. After you take the other medicine, check with your doctor as soon as possible. Headaches that are not relieved by rizatriptan are sometimes caused by conditions that need other treatment. If you feel much better after a dose of rizatriptan, but your headache comes back or gets worse after a while, adults may use one additional dose of rizatriptan 2 hours after the first dose. Do not use more than 2 doses in any 24-hour period. Do not use this medicine for more than 10 days in any 30-day period, unless your doctor tells you to. Swallow thetabletwhole with a glass of water. Do not crush, break, or chew it. Keep theorally disintegrating tabletin 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. Place the tablet on your tongue and let it dissolve. You do not need to drink water to swallow the dissolved tablet. To use thefilm: The dose of this medicine 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 this medicine. 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. 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.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.