Zolmitriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Zolmitriptan is a serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonist sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for 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)
- Migraine Disorders
- Available as
- Spray/Inhaler, metered · Tablet · Tablet, orally disintegrating · Spray/Inhaler
- Sold as
- 3 products — Zomig, Zomig-Zmt and Zolmitriptan
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- Half-life
- about 3 hours
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $64 for a 30-count supply — not your price
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How Zomig is dosed
From the FDA label for Zomig (application NDA021450). Other zolmitriptan products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Recommended starting dose: 2.5 mg (2.1) Maximum single dose: 5 mg (2.1) May repeat dose after 2 hours if needed; not to exceed 10 mg in any 24-hour period (2.1) 2.1 Dosing Information The recommended starting dose for ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older is 2.5 mg. As the individual response to ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY may vary, the dose should be adjusted on an individual basis. The maximum recommended single dose of ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY is 5 mg. If the migraine has not resolved by 2 hours after taking ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY, or returns after a transient improvement, another dose may be administered at least 2 hours after the previous dose. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 10 mg in any 24-hour period. The safety of ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY in the treatment of an average of more than four headaches in a 30-day period has not been established. 2.2 Dosing in Patients with Hepatic Impairment ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY is not recommended in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment because of increased zolmitriptan blood levels in these patients and elevation of blood pressure in some of these patients. The recommended dosage of ZOLMITRIPTAN NASAL SPRAY in patients with mild hepatic impairment is the same as for patients with normal hepatic function [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) , Warnings and Precautions…
Everything below is the FDA label for Zomig (spray/inhaler, metered, tablet). Zolmitriptan is also sold as tablet, orally disintegrating and spray/inhaler, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Zomig side effects
The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of labeling: 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) ] The most common adverse reactions (≥ 5% and > placebo) were: Adults: unusual taste, paresthesia, dizziness, and hyperesthesia (6.1) Pediatrics: unusual taste (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Amneal Pharmaceuticals at 1-877-835-5472 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Adults Among 460 patients treating 1180 single attacks with zolmitriptan nasal spray in a blinded placebo controlled trial (Study 1), there was a…
Who shouldn’t take Zomig
Zolmitriptan is contraindicated in patients with: Ischemic coronary artery disease (angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction, or documented silent ischemia), other significant underlying cardiovascular disease, 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, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or history of hemiplegic or basilar migraine because these patients are at higher risk of stroke [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) [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 another 5-HT 1 agonist, ergotamine-containing medication, or ergot-type medication (such as dihydroergotamine or methysergide) [see Drug Interactions (7.1 , 7.3) ] Concurrent administration of an MAO-A inhibitor or recent discontinuation of a MAO-A inhibitor (that is within 2 weeks) [see Drug Interactions (7.2) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] Known hypersensitivity to zolmitriptan (angioedema and anaphylaxis seen) [see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ] History of ischemic heart disease or coronary artery vasospasm (4) Symptomatic 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 ergot-type medication (4) MAO-A inhibitor used in past 2 weeks (4) Hypersensitivity to zolmitriptan (4)
Zomig drug interactions
If co-administered with cimetidine: Maximum single dose of 2.5 mg, not to exceed 5 mg in any 24-hour period. (2.3 , 7.4) 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 zolmitriptan within 24 hours of each other is contraindicated [see Contraindications (4) ] . 7.2 MAO-A Inhibitors MAO-A inhibitors increase the systemic exposure of zolmitriptan. Therefore, the use of zolmitriptan in patients receiving MAO-A inhibitors is contraindicated [see Contraindications (4) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . 7.3 5-HT 1B/1D agonists (e.g. triptans) Concomitant use of other 5-HT 1B/1D agonists (including triptans) within 24 hours of zolmitriptan treatment is contraindicated because the risk of vasospastic reactions may be additive [see Contraindications (4) ] . 7.4 Cimetidine Following administration of cimetidine, the half-life and AUC of zolmitriptan and its active metabolites were approximately doubled [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . If cimetidine and zolmitriptan are used concomitantly, limit the maximum single dose of zolmitriptan to 2.5 mg, not to exceed 5 mg in any 24-hour period [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . 7.5 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin Syndrome Cases of life-threatening serotonin syndrome have been reported during combined use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and triptans [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] .
Every zolmitriptan product we track (3)
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 | Spray/Inhaler | Generic | $64 | View → | |
| 2 | 70/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $64 | View → | |
| 3 | 66/100 | Prescription | Spray/Inhaler | Generic | $64 | View → |
What zolmitriptan pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Can you crush or split zolmitriptan?
At least one zolmitriptanproduct is labelled to be swallowed whole — crushing an extended-release tablet releases the whole day’s dose at once. Which applies depends on the form you were given.
What each zolmitriptan label says about crushing, splitting and chewingHow long zolmitriptan keeps
No zolmitriptan 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 zolmitriptan expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsZolmitriptan and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for zolmitriptan: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadPreliminary evidence indicates that zolmitriptan levels in breastmilk are low. Amounts ingested by the infant are small and unlikely to affect the nursing infant, especially if the infant is older than 2 months. Concurrent use of propranolol might increase the zolmitriptan dose received by the breastfed infant substantially. 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 September 15, 2025. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about zolmitriptan
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 2,598 reports naming zolmitriptan, and the FDA flagged 82% 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:
- headache423 reports
- nausea271 reports
- drug intolerance262 reports
- migraine231 reports
- fatigue200 reports
- hypersensitivity194 reports
- swelling face181 reports
- angioedema180 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean zolmitriptan 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 zolmitriptan stays in your system
The elimination half-life of zolmitriptan is about 3 hours. Zolmitriptan has an ACTIVE metabolite, N-desmethyl-zolmitriptan, that is 2 to 6 times more potent at the 5-HT1B/1D receptor than the parent and reaches plasma levels about two-thirds those of zolmitriptan, so it contributes a substantial part of the effect. Its elimination half-life is also approximately 3 hours per the label (it does not outlast the parent). Special populations: pharmacokinetics in healthy elderly (65-76 yr) were similar to younger adults. Renal impairment - after oral dosing, renal clearance fell about 25% in severe impairment (CrCl 5-25 mL/min), with no significant change in moderate impairment (nasal-spray data not evaluated). Hepatic impairment - in SEVERE hepatic impairment, oral zolmitriptan AUC rose about 3-fold and Cmax about 1.5-fold with Tmax roughly doubling, so exposure (and effectively half-life) is markedly increased; dose reduction is advised. This is not a drug-test detection window and not dosing guidance.
Zolmitriptan nasal spray - DailyMed FDA label (Clinical Pharmacology 12.3) ↗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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Zomig?
Zomig (Zolmitriptan) is a serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonist used to treat Migraine Disorders.
What kind of drug is zolmitriptan?
The FDA classifies zolmitriptan 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.
How long does zolmitriptan stay in your system?
The elimination half-life of zolmitriptan is about 3 hours — that is how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. Zolmitriptan has an ACTIVE metabolite, N-desmethyl-zolmitriptan, that is 2 to 6 times more potent at the 5-HT1B/1D receptor than the parent and reaches plasma levels about two-thirds those of zolmitriptan, so it contributes a substantial part of the effect. Its elimination half-life is also approximately 3 hours per the label (it does not outlast the parent). Special populations: pharmacokinetics in healthy elderly (65-76 yr) were similar to younger adults. Renal impairment - after oral dosing, renal clearance fell about 25% in severe impairment (CrCl 5-25 mL/min), with no significant change in moderate impairment (nasal-spray data not evaluated). Hepatic impairment - in SEVERE hepatic impairment, oral zolmitriptan AUC rose about 3-fold and Cmax about 1.5-fold with Tmax roughly doubling, so exposure (and effectively half-life) is markedly increased; dose reduction is advised. This is not a drug-test detection window and not dosing guidance. 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 zolmitriptan 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 zolmitriptan 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 zolmitriptan sold under?
We track 3 zolmitriptan-containing products in the U.S.: Zomig, Zomig-Zmt and Zolmitriptan. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does zolmitriptan come in?
Across the brands we track, zolmitriptan is currently marketed as spray/inhaler, metered, tablet, tablet, orally disintegrating and spray/inhaler, 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 zolmitriptan?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic zolmitriptan 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). Zolmitriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/zolmitriptan
- MLA
- “Zolmitriptan: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/zolmitriptan.
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 zolmitriptan on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.