Sumatriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Sumatriptan is a serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonist sold in the U.S. under 7 brand and generic names, for cluster headache and migraine disorders. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Serotonin-1b and Serotonin-1d Receptor Agonist
- Treats (across its forms)
- Cluster Headache and Migraine Disorders
- Available as
- Injectable · Tablet · Capsule · Spray/Inhaler · System
- Sold as
- 7 products — Imitrex, Alsuma and Onzetra Xsail, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- Half-life
- about 2 hours (terminal elimination half-life 115 ± 19 minutes)
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $483 for a 30-count supply — not your price
How Imitrex is dosed
From the FDA label for Imitrex (application NDA020626). Other sumatriptan products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Single dose of 25-mg, 50-mg, or 100-mg tablet. ( 2.1 ) • A second dose should only be considered if some response to the first dose was observed. Separate doses by at least 2 hours. ( 2.1 ) • Maximum dose in a 24-hour period: 200 mg. ( 2.1 ) • Maximum single dose should not exceed 50 mg in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Dosing Information The recommended dose of IMITREX tablets is 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg. Doses of 50 mg and 100 mg may provide a greater effect than the 25-mg dose, but doses of 100 mg may not provide a greater effect than the 50-mg dose. Higher doses may have a greater risk of adverse reactions [see Clinical Studies (14)] . If the migraine has not resolved by 2 hours after taking IMITREX tablets, or returns after a transient improvement, a second dose may be administered at least 2 hours after the first dose. The maximum daily dose is 200 mg in a 24-hour period. Use after IMITREX Injection If the migraine returns following an initial treatment with IMITREX (sumatriptan) injection, additional single IMITREX tablets (up to 100 mg/day) may be given with an interval of at least 2 hours between tablet doses. The safety of treating an average of more than 4 headaches in a 30-day period has not been established. 2.2 Dosing in Patients with Hepatic Impairment If treatment is deemed advisable in the presence of mild to moderate hepatic…
Everything below is the FDA label for Imitrex (injectable, tablet). Sumatriptan is also sold as capsule, spray/inhaler and system, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Imitrex side effects
The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the prescribing information: • Myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, and Prinzmetal’s angina [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] • Arrhythmias [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • Chest, throat, neck, and/or jaw pain/tightness/pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] • Cerebrovascular events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] • Other vasospasm reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] • Medication overuse headache [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)] • Serotonin syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] • Increase in blood pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] • Hypersensitivity reactions [see Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5.9)] • Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10)] Most common adverse reactions (≥2% and >placebo) were paresthesia, warm/cold sensation, chest pain/tightness/pressure and/or heaviness, neck/throat/jaw pain/tightness/pressure, other sensations of pain/pressure/tightness/heaviness, vertigo, and malaise/fatigue. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GlaxoSmithKline at 1-888-825-5249 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be…
Who shouldn’t take Imitrex
IMITREX Tablets are contraindicated in patients with: • Ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) (angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction, or documented silent ischemia) or coronary artery vasospasm, including Prinzmetal’s angina [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or arrhythmias associated with other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • History of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) or history of hemiplegic or basilar migraine because these patients are at a higher risk of stroke [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] • Peripheral vascular disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] • Ischemic bowel disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] • Uncontrolled hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] • Recent use (i.e., within 24 hours) of ergotamine-containing medication, ergot-type medication (such as dihydroergotamine or methysergide), or another 5-hydroxytryptamine 1 (5-HT 1 ) agonist [see Drug Interactions (7.1, 7.3)] • Concurrent administration of a monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A inhibitor or recent (within 2 weeks) use of an MAO-A inhibitor [see Drug Interactions (7.2), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] • Hypersensitivity to IMITREX (angioedema and anaphylaxis seen) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)] • Severe hepatic impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] • History of coronary artery disease or coronary artery vasospasm ( 4 ) • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders ( 4 ) • History of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or hemiplegic or basilar migraine ( 4 ) • Peripheral vascular disease ( 4 ) • Ischemic bowel disease ( 4 ) • Uncontrolled hypertension ( 4 ) • Recent (within 24 hours) use of another 5-HT 1 agonist (e.g., another triptan) or of an ergotamine-containing medication ( 4 ) • Concurrent or recent (past 2 weeks) use of monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor ( 4 ) • Hypersensitivity to IMITREX (angioedema and anaphylaxis seen) ( 4 ) • Severe hepatic impairment ( 4 )
Imitrex drug interactions
7.1 Ergot-Containing Drugs Ergot-containing drugs have been reported to cause prolonged vasospastic reactions. Because these effects may be additive, use of ergotamine-containing or ergot-type medications (like dihydroergotamine or methysergide) and IMITREX tablets within 24 hours of each other is contraindicated. 7.2 Monoamine Oxidase-A Inhibitors MAO‑A inhibitors increase systemic exposure by 7-fold. Therefore, the use of IMITREX tablets in patients receiving MAO‑A inhibitors is contraindicated [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . 7.3 Other 5-HT 1 Agonists Because their vasospastic effects may be additive, coadministration of IMITREX tablets and other 5‑HT 1 agonists (e.g., triptans) within 24 hours of each other is contraindicated. 7.4 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin Syndrome Cases of serotonin syndrome have been reported during coadministration of triptans and SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, and MAO inhibitors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] .
Every sumatriptan product we track (7)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 5 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 6 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Spray/Inhaler | Generic | $483 | View → | |
| 7 | Not yet rated | Prescription | System | Generic | $483 | View → |
What sumatriptan pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Combination products containing sumatriptan
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
How long sumatriptan keeps
No sumatriptan label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does sumatriptan expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsSumatriptan and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for sumatriptan: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadBecause of the low levels of sumatriptan in breastmilk, amounts ingested by the infant are small. It also has poor oral bioavailability, further decreasing infant exposure to the drug. Some authors have suggested that withholding breastfeeding for 8 hours after a single subcutaneous injection would virtually eliminate infant exposure to the drug. The manufacturer recommends withholding breastfeeding for 12 hours after a dose. Withholding breastfeeding might be helpful in extreme cases, such as in the mother of a preterm infant, but sumatriptan would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in most breastfed infants and has been recommended as a triptan of choice in breastfeeding. Painful, burning nipples and breast pain have been reported after doses of sumatriptan and other triptans. This has occasionally been accompanied by a decrease in milk production.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised December 15, 2025. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about sumatriptan
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 29,694 reports naming sumatriptan, and the FDA flagged 52% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- headache2,278 reports
- product physical issue2,148 reports
- migraine2,003 reports
- nausea1,951 reports
- drug dose omission1,660 reports
- fatigue1,568 reports
- dizziness1,294 reports
- vomiting1,085 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean sumatriptan caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 26, 2026.
How long sumatriptan stays in your system
The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is about 2 hours (terminal elimination half-life 115 ± 19 minutes). This is the terminal (beta) half-life; the label separately reports a much shorter distribution (alpha) half-life of 15 ± 2 minutes — the ~2-hour figure is the elimination one. Value is for the 6-mg subcutaneous injection. No active metabolite to worry about: the major metabolite, indole acetic acid (IAA) and its glucuronide, is explicitly inactive, so the parent's half-life is the whole story. Populations the label names: in older adults (mean age 72) pharmacokinetics were similar to younger healthy subjects, so no half-life change stated. Mild-to-moderate hepatic impairment showed no significant PK difference; severe hepatic impairment was not studied and this injection is contraindicated in it. The label does not report kidney-impairment data for the injection. Drug interaction: an MAO-A inhibitor raised sumatriptan AUC ~2-fold and the elimination half-life by about 40%.
Sumatriptan Injection — DailyMed FDA Label, Section 12.3 Pharmacokinetics ↗Half-life is how long the body takes to clear half a dose. It is not the same as how long a drug test can detect it, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.
Is sumatriptan safe during pregnancy?
The label reports no clear risk
The label's §8.1 Risk Summary says data from a prospective pregnancy exposure registry and epidemiological studies have not detected an increased frequency of birth defects, or a consistent pattern of birth defects, in women exposed to sumatriptan compared with the general population. It notes the registry sample was insufficient to support definitive conclusions about overall malformation risk. In animal studies, sumatriptan was associated with embryolethality, fetal abnormalities, and reduced pup survival. The label does not state a specific human fetal-harm warning, but does not declare the drug safe; decisions about use in pregnancy should be made with the prescriber.
This is what sumatriptan’s FDA label says — not a recommendation to take or stop it. In pregnancy, that decision is your prescriber’s; do not start or stop a medicine on your own.
Sumatriptan — DailyMed FDA Label ↗Related guides
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Imitrex?
Imitrex (Sumatriptan) is a serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonist used to treat Cluster Headache, Migraine Disorders.
What kind of drug is sumatriptan?
The FDA classifies sumatriptan as a serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonist. These migraine drugs (triptans) switch on serotonin 5-HT1B/1D receptors: they tighten the dilated blood vessels around the brain and quiet the trigeminal nerve pathway, blocking the release of pain-signaling molecules that drive a migraine attack. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Is sumatriptan safe during pregnancy?
The label's §8.1 Risk Summary says data from a prospective pregnancy exposure registry and epidemiological studies have not detected an increased frequency of birth defects, or a consistent pattern of birth defects, in women exposed to sumatriptan compared with the general population. It notes the registry sample was insufficient to support definitive conclusions about overall malformation risk. In animal studies, sumatriptan was associated with embryolethality, fetal abnormalities, and reduced pup survival. The label does not state a specific human fetal-harm warning, but does not declare the drug safe; decisions about use in pregnancy should be made with the prescriber. This is what sumatriptan's FDA label says; whether to use it in pregnancy is your prescriber's decision.
How long does sumatriptan stay in your system?
The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is about 2 hours (terminal elimination half-life 115 ± 19 minutes) — that is how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. This is the terminal (beta) half-life; the label separately reports a much shorter distribution (alpha) half-life of 15 ± 2 minutes — the ~2-hour figure is the elimination one. Value is for the 6-mg subcutaneous injection. No active metabolite to worry about: the major metabolite, indole acetic acid (IAA) and its glucuronide, is explicitly inactive, so the parent's half-life is the whole story. Populations the label names: in older adults (mean age 72) pharmacokinetics were similar to younger healthy subjects, so no half-life change stated. Mild-to-moderate hepatic impairment showed no significant PK difference; severe hepatic impairment was not studied and this injection is contraindicated in it. The label does not report kidney-impairment data for the injection. Drug interaction: an MAO-A inhibitor raised sumatriptan AUC ~2-fold and the elimination half-life by about 40%. Half-life is not the same as how long a drug test can detect the drug, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.
Can you take sumatriptan with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run sumatriptan against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is sumatriptan sold under?
We track 7 sumatriptan-containing products in the U.S.: Imitrex, Alsuma, Onzetra Xsail, Sumatriptan Succinate, Sumavel Dosepro, Tosymra and Zecuity. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does sumatriptan come in?
Across the brands we track, sumatriptan is currently marketed as injectable, tablet, capsule, spray/inhaler and system, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic sumatriptan?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic sumatriptan product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Sumatriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/sumatriptan
- MLA
- “Sumatriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/sumatriptan.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for sumatriptan on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.