Imitrex is a brand-name prescription drug that was first produced by the pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline. The active ingredient in Imitrex is sumatriptan succinate, which was approved by the FDA in 1995 as an oral tablet meant to treat migraine headaches, as explained by Drugs.com. According to RxList.com, sumatriptan is believed to work by reducing the production of chemicals in the body that can trigger migraine pain, and by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain such that the pounding pain from excessive blood flow is aborted. Imitrex is manufactured as a nasal spray and as 25, 50 and 100 mg tablets. Imitrex produces both therapeutic effects and negative side effects.
Therapeutic Effects of Imitrex
According to the DailyMed website, sumatriptan succinate causes vasoconstriction in the human basilar artery and in the vasculature of dura matter that surrounds the brain, which can abort migraine pain caused by excessive blood flow. In addition to vasoconstriction, sumatriptan may also affect the trigeminal nerve in a way that regulates other cranial blood vessels. It is important to note, however, that Imitrex will only abort a migraine headache that has already begun; it will not prevent migraine headaches or reduce the number of attacks.
The DailyMed website notes that three clinical studies demonstrated the effectiveness of sumatriptan in reducing headache pain beyond that of placebo. On average, sumatriptan was able to reduce a moderate or severe migraine headache to a mild headache or none at all in 75 percent of patients. It was also noted that the 100 mg tablets were no more effective than the 50 mg tablets.
Negative Cardiovascular Effects
Because sumatriptan succinate vasoconstricts, or narrows blood vessels, serious adverse cardiovascular effects have been reported, such as acute myocardial infarction, life-threatening disturbances of cardiac rhythm, coronary vasospasm and even death, according to DrugLib.com. These negative effects have a very low incidence, but have sometimes been reported within a couple of hours following the administration of sumatriptan in both injection and tablet form. Therefore, people with any sort of heart condition or atherosclerosis should not take Imitrex.
Negative Effect on Blood Pressure
Again, because sumatriptan succinate is a vasoconstrictor and reduces the size of certain blood vessels, significant elevation in blood pressure, including hypertensive crisis, has been reported on rare instances in people with and without a history of hypertension, according to the DailyMed website. Therefore, Imitrex is not recommended for people who have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Other Frequent Negative Effects
Less serious, but frequent negative effects have been noted with Imitrex use. According to "Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs," the most common side effects reported from clinical trials of 50 mg of Imitrex tablets include atypical sensations described as burning and numbness around the head and face in six percent of patients studied, pain and pressure within the head and chest in six percent of patients studied, and paresthesia and numbness of the head and arms in five percent of patients studied.
References
- Drugs.com: Imitrex
- RxList.com: Imitrex
- DailyMed: Sumatriptan Succinate
- DrugLib.com: Imitrex Cardiovascular Warnings
- "Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs, Fifteenth Edition: The International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions"; Jeffrey Aronson; 2006
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