Eletriptan
About
Eletriptan belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin receptor agonists primarily used to treat migraine headaches with or without aura. Aura is a phase before the start of a migraine headache that involves numbness, speech, or vision disorders. Migraine is a common disorder associated with multiple symptoms but frequently causes headaches of varying intensity, usually along with nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Eletriptan contains Eletriptan which works by stimulating serotonin receptors in the brain and causing the narrowing of blood vessels. Thereby, it helps in relieving the pain of migraine headaches.
Take Eletriptan as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Eletriptan for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience dizziness, chest pain, indigestion, dry mouth, drowsiness, nausea, flushing (redness, warmth, or tingling sensation), and sore throat. Most of these side effects of Eletriptan do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Eletriptan or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Eletriptan is not recommended for children below 18 years of age as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy before taking Eletriptan. You are advised not to breastfeed for 24 hours after taking Eletriptan as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the baby. You are recommended to avoid alcohol consumption with Eletriptan as it may worsen headaches. Drive only if you are alert as Eletriptan may cause dizziness or drowsiness.
Uses of Eletriptan
Medicinal Benefits
Eletriptan contains Eletriptan used to treat migraine headaches with or without aura. Aura is a phase before the start of a migraine headache that involves numbness, speech, or vision disorders. Eletriptan stimulates serotonin receptors in the brain and causes the narrowing of blood vessels. Thereby, it helps in relieving the pain of migraine headaches.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Eletriptan
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Indigestion
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Flushing (redness, warmth, or tingling sensation)
- Sore throat
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
If you are allergic to Eletriptan or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Eletriptan is not recommended for children below 18 years of age as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy before taking Eletriptan. You are advised not to breastfeeding for 24 hours after taking Eletriptan as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the baby. You are recommended to avoid alcohol consumption with Eletriptan as it may worsen headaches. Drive only if you are alert as Eletriptan may cause dizziness or drowsiness. Avoid taking more than the prescribed dose as it may increase the risk of heart problems or high blood pressure.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Eletriptan may interact with alkaloids (ergotamine), other medicines used to treat migraine (zolmitriptan, almotriptan, sumatriptan, rizatriptan, naratriptan), antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole), antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin), drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS (indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir).
Drug-Food Interaction: Eletriptan may interact with St. John’s wort (herbal medicine used to treat depression).
Drug-Disease Interaction: Avoid taking Eletriptan if you have poor circulation, severe kidney or liver disease, high blood pressure, or if you ever had a stroke or heart problem. If you have diabetes, coronary artery disease, or any heart disease, inform your doctor before taking Eletriptan.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consumption of alcohol with Eletriptan as it may worsen headaches.
Pregnancy
cautionEletriptan is a category C pregnancy drug and is given to pregnant women only if the doctor thinks benefits outweigh risks. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast Feeding
unsafeYou are not recommended to breastfeed for 24 hours after taking Eletriptan as it may be excreted in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the baby. Please consult a doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionEletriptan may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people. So, drive only if you are alert after taking Eletriptan.
Liver
cautionTake Eletriptan with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required. Avoid taking Eletriptan if you have severe liver disease.
Kidney
cautionTake Eletriptan with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required. Avoid taking Eletriptan if you have severe kidney disease.
Children
unsafeEletriptan is not recommended for children below 18 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid high-caffeine beverages or limit caffeine intake as high caffeine intake may trigger migraines.
- Avoid aged cheese, red wine, processed meat, chocolate, citrus fruits, wheat, barley, rye as they may trigger a migraine.
- Do yoga, meditation, and certain mind or body exercises to manage migraines by reducing stress.
- Follow a regular sleep pattern and have sufficient sleep.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol and quit smoking.
Special Advise
- If you are elderly, smoker had a stroke previously, or have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, please inform your doctor as these conditions may increase the risk of heart problems.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Migraine: It is a neurological condition associated with multiple symptoms but frequently causes headaches of varying intensity, often accompanied by sensitivity to sound, light, and nausea. Migraine mostly affects the forehead area, usually on one side of the head but can occur on both sides or shift. Women are more likely to have migraines than men. The most common risk factor is family history. Triggers of migraines include stress, exercise, hormonal changes, certain foods, and drinks.
FAQs
Eletriptan contains Eletriptan that works by stimulating serotonin receptors in the brain and cause narrowing of blood vessels. Thereby, it helps in relieving the pain of migraine headaches.
Eletriptan is not recommended to treat a common tension headache. Eletriptan is only used to treat migraine headaches.
Eletriptan may increase the risk of heart problems such as heart attack or stroke, especially in high doses or if used for prolonged duration and in patients who smoke, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. However, it is recommended to inform your doctor if you have any of these conditions or have a history of heart problems or stroke before taking Eletriptan.
Eletriptan is not recommended for elderly patients above 65 years of age due to increased risk of severe high blood pressure. However, please consult a doctor before taking Eletriptan.
You are not recommended to take erythromycin with Eletriptan as it may increase the levels of Eletriptan in blood and increase the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure or stroke. However, please consult a doctor before using other medicines with Eletriptan.
Eletriptan may cause high blood pressure in some patients. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have high blood pressure before taking Eletriptan.
Eletriptan does not prevent a migraine attack. Eletriptan is only used to treat migraine headache that has begun already.
