Drug name: Imigran

Other names used:

• Imitrex®

Active Ingredients:

• Sumatriptan

Therapeutic effect of Imigran: The main ingredient of Imigran, Sumatriptan, belongs to a sulfonamide group and is administered to treat migraine headaches. This medicine is similar to serotonin and it acts as an agonist by reducing the activity of the trigeminal nerve. This drug also reduces the inflammation and other symptoms associated with migraine. Some of the symptoms of migraine are moderate to severe headaches, increased sensitivity to light and sound, and nausea.

Indications: Imigran is used to treat migraine

Precautions and Restrictions:

• This medicine is used to relieving migraine so it should not be used to prevent migraines.
• This medicine should be used only after a clear diagnosis is done by a doctor.
• Do not take this medicine for the second time if the first dose did not relieve you of the pain. You can take a second dose only if the first dose was effective but the pain returned again. Do not take the second dose within 2 hours of the first one. It is not advisable to exceed the prescribed dosage. Similarly it is not advisable to take more than 300mg in a 24 hour period.
• On extremely rare occasions the user of this medicine may experience heaviness, pain in the chest and throat. If these symptoms occur then stop using these tables and consult a doctor at once.
• Use of this medicine may cause drowsiness so do not drive or use machinery while using this drug.

Observe caution in the following circumstances:

• If you are allergic to drugs from the sulphonamide group
• Hypertension
• Users who have the symptoms of ischaemic heart disease like family history of having this disease, diabetes, obesity, smoking and high levels of cholesterol
• Men who are above 40 years of age
• Women who have passed menopause
• People with low kidney function
• People with low liver function
• User who have a history of epileptic seizures

People having the following conditions should not use Imigran:

• Heart attack
• Problem related to the heart caused by inadequate flow of blood
• Coronary artery spasm
• Peripheral artery disease
• Previously had stroke
• Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
• Moderate or severe hypertension
• Decreased liver function
• If the user has taken MAO inhibitors in the last 14 days
• Ophthalmoplegic migraine
• Hemiplegic headaches or migraine
• Basilar migraine
• Do not give this medicine to people below 18 years and above 65 years of age
• Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to the ingredients of this medicine

Side effects of Imigran: Some users of this medicine may experience certain unintended adverse reactions. Not all patients will have adverse reactions.

Some of the side effects users may experience are:

• Discomfort or pain while moving the neck
• Raynaud's phenomenom
• Seizures
• Involuntary contractions and relaxations of the muscles (Tremor)
• Problems in liver function
• Palpitations
• Arrhythmia
• Disturbances in normal vision
• Vomiting and nausea
• Exhaustion
• Decrease in strength
• Hypertension
• Flushing
• Somnolence
• Lightheadedness
• Tightness or heaviness or pain in the chest and throat

The above mentioned list of side effects is not comprehensive. For more information please consult your physician, pharmacist or see the full details presented with Imigran tablets.

Interactions: Before using Imigran tablets it's very important to consult a doctor and apprise him of the treatment or medication you are currently under and also get a prescription from your doctor before starting any new drug to make sure that the combination of the two drugs is safe.

• Do not take Imigran within two weeks of using monoamine oxidase inhibitors like antibiotic linezolid, tranylcypromine, antidepressants phenelzine. Taking these drugs with Imigran will increase the amount of sumatriptan in blood.
• Do not use ergotamine or similar substances within 24 hours of taking Imigran.
• It is fine to use painkillers containing NSAIDs, paracetamol or aspirin if the first dose does not work to relieve your migraine.

Using Imigran with the below mentioned medicines may increase the risk of side effects:

• St. John's wort
• Sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, fluvoxamine, escitalopram, citalopram or other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.

Additional Information: Imigran tablets should not be used without prior approval of a doctor and do not share these drugs with anybody else. Imigran tablets are made for specific conditions and it's not advisable to use them for other purposes. Keep medicinal drugs, needles, syringes and other such medical substances out of the reach of children.