Sumatriptan Succinate

Warning

Sumatriptan may cause serious cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, and cerebral vasospasm. It may also cause serotonin syndrome, especially when used with other serotonergic agents.

Contraindications

• Ischemic coronary artery disease
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• History of stroke or transient ischemic attack
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Ischemic bowel disease
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Recent use of ergotamine-containing medication or another 5-HT 1 agonist

Adverse Reactions

• Myocardial ischemia
• Myocardial infarction
• Arrhythmias
• Chest, throat, neck, and/or jaw pain/tightness/pressure
• Cerebrovascular events
• Other vasospasm reactions
• Medication overuse headache
• Serotonin syndrome
• Increase in blood pressure
• Hypersensitivity reactions
• Seizures

General Guidance

The maximum single dose should not exceed 50 mg in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment.

Pregnancy

• Sumatriptan should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus
• Oral administration of sumatriptan to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis resulted in an increased incidence of fetal blood vessel abnormalities

Nursing Mothers

• Sumatriptan is excreted in human milk following subcutaneous administration
• Infant exposure to sumatriptan can be minimized by avoiding breastfeeding for 12 hours after treatment with sumatriptan tablets

Pediatric Use

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established
• Sumatriptan tablets are not recommended for use in patients younger than 18 years of age

Geriatric Use

• Clinical trials of sumatriptan tablets did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 and older to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients
• A cardiovascular evaluation is recommended for geriatric patients who have other cardiovascular risk factors prior to receiving sumatriptan tablets