✅ Prescription / Indication:
Sumatriptan 25 mg tablets are prescription-only medications used for the acute treatment of migraine attacks, with or without aura, in adults.
Not for preventive use and not effective for treating other types of headaches (like tension headaches or cluster headaches).
📄 Description:
- Generic name: Sumatriptan Succinate
- Strength: 25 mg (oral tablet)
- Drug class: Selective serotonin receptor agonist (Triptan)
- Form: Film-coated oral tablet
- Common Brand Names: Imitrex®, Sumitrex®, Suminat® (varies by country)
Mechanism of Action:
Sumatriptan acts as an agonist at 5-HT₁B and 5-HT₁D receptors, causing cranial blood vessel constriction and inhibition of neuropeptide release, thereby relieving migraine pain and associated symptoms like nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia.
🌟 Advantages:
- Fast and effective relief from migraine symptoms
- Targets the cause of migraine (vasodilation and neuroinflammation)
- Available in multiple forms: tablet, nasal spray, injection
- Well-studied and widely used triptan since 1990s
- May reduce need for opioid painkillers
🔬 Nature:
- Therapeutic class: Antimigraine agent
- Onset of action: Within 30–60 minutes
- Peak effect: ~2 hours
- Half-life: ~2 hours
- Not used for cluster headaches (in tablet form) or migraine prevention
📦 Common Package:
- Blister packs of 2, 4, 6, or 10 tablets
- Often sold in small quantities due to specific dose-limiting recommendations
- Each tablet is film-coated, often white or off-white
🧊 Storage Conditions:
- Store at 20–25°C (68–77°F)
- Protect from moisture and heat
- Store in original packaging
- Keep out of reach of children
👨⚕️ Patient Advice / Precautions:
✅ Do:
- Take at first sign of migraine (earlier use = better effect)
- Swallow whole with water (can take with or without food)
- If headache returns, a second dose may be taken after at least 2 hours
- Maximum dose/day: 200 mg (not more than 2 doses)
❌ Avoid:
- Taking more than 100 mg in a single dose
- Taking a second dose if first dose is ineffective
- Using for tension-type headaches or prevention
- Using with other triptans or ergotamine within 24 hours
- Using if you have:
- Heart disease
- History of stroke or TIA
- Uncontrolled hypertension
- Peripheral vascular disease