Drug Name

Imitrex (Sumatriptan)

Drug Uses

Imitrex is used to treat migraine headaches.

How Taken

When you have migraine simptoms, take one dose of imitrex. In some cases two doses, but not more than 200 mg a day, can be taken only if instructed by your personal healthcare practitioner.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Sumatriptan is an antimigraine medicine. Migraine headaches are believed to result from dilatation of the blood vessels in the head. Sumatriptan causes constriction of the blood vessels, thus relieving migraine headache. While it is very effective in relieving migraine, it does not prevent or reduce the number of attacks of migraine.

Missed Dose

Since sumatriptan is used to treat migraines or cluster headaches, as they occur, and not to prevent them, missing a dose is not a problem. Use only the doses you need, according to your doctor's instructions.

Storage

Should be stored at room temperature away from heat and light. Keep your medicine away from the reach of children.

Warnings/Precautions

If you have any of the following conditions you should not take imitrex:

• allergy to Imitrex,
• Raynaud syndrome,
• strokes in the past,
• certain types of heart disease,
• transient ischemic attacks,
• uncontrolled blood pressure,
• peripheral vascular disease.

You should consult your personal doctor before taking this medicine if you

• smoke,
• have high cholesterole or high blood pressure,
• diabetes.

Possible Side Effects

The following side effects can occur when taking imitrex:

• dizziness,
• nausea,
• fatigue,
• drowsiness.

More Information

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop using sumatriptan and seek emergency medical attention:

• an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
• severe or prolonged chest pain or an irregular heartbeat;
• chest, jaw, or neck pain or tightness;
• sudden or severe stomach pain;
• problems seeing;
• or unusual weakness or numbness.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur.

Continue to use sumatriptan and talk to your doctor if you experience

• nausea;
• drowsiness or dizziness;
• tingling, flushing, warmth, redness, or heaviness of a body part;
• unpleasant taste in the mouth (nasal spray);
• nasal irritation (nasal spray);
• or injection site discomfort (injection).

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.