d.h.e. 45
D.H.E. 45 (Dihydroergotamine Mesylate) is an ergotamine derivative used to treat Cluster Headache, Postpartum Hemorrhage, Orthostatic Hypotension, Migraine Disorders.
Dihydroergotamine Mesylate · by Bausch
Available as a generic: Dihydroergotamine Mesylate
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Dihydroergotamine Mesylate
- Drug class
- Ergotamine Derivative
- Form
- Injectable
- Strength
- Dihydroergotamine Mesylate 1MG/ML **Federal Register Determination That Product was not Discontinued or Withdrawn for Safety or Effectiveness reasons**
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Brand-name
- Manufacturer
- Bausch
- Half-life
- about 9 to 13 hours, depending on the form (how long it stays in your system)
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$34.84 per ml — not your price
- FDA application
- NDA005929
- Availability
- Discontinued (per FDA)
How long does Dihydroergotamine Mesylate stay in your body?
The elimination half-life of dihydroergotamine mesylate is about 9 to 13 hours, depending on the form — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. The injection label states a terminal half-life of about 9 hours after intramuscular or intravenous dosing, with a multi-exponential decline. Nasal forms read slightly longer because absorption is slower: the nasal spray label gives about 10 hours (biphasic decline) and the Atzumi nasal powder label gives an apparent half-life of about 13 hours. The major metabolite, 8'-beta-hydroxydihydroergotamine, binds adrenergic and 5-HT receptors as strongly as the parent drug and is equally potent at constricting veins, so its effects can outlast what the parent's half-life suggests — but the label explicitly says its pharmacokinetics have not been quantified, so no metabolite half-life exists in the labeling. No studies have been done on how kidney or liver impairment, age, sex, or race change these numbers; the drug is contraindicated outright in severe hepatic or renal impairment. Clearance is 1.5 L/min and mainly hepatic (excreted in bile and feces; only 6-7% of unchanged drug appears in urine), so liver disease and CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ritonavir, clarithromycin, and erythromycin are the real-world drivers of accumulation. There is no extended-release dihydroergotamine.
This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: Dihydroergotamine Mesylate Injection, USP — FDA label, Clinical Pharmacology (DailyMed).
Drug class
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
See how D.H.E. 45 ranks — best-rated ergotamine derivative for:
Dosage forms
Injectable
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does D.H.E. 45 treat?
- D.H.E. 45 (Dihydroergotamine Mesylate) may be used to treat cluster headache, postpartum hemorrhage, orthostatic hypotension, migraine disorders, xerostomia, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How much does D.H.E. 45 cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $34.84 per ml, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for D.H.E. 45?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell D.H.E. 45. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes D.H.E. 45?
- D.H.E. 45 is marketed by Bausch. You can see Bausch's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is D.H.E. 45 a brand-name or generic drug?
- D.H.E. 45 is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Dihydroergotamine Mesylate. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Dihydroergotamine Mesylate are available — ask your pharmacist.
- Is D.H.E. 45 available over the counter?
- No. D.H.E. 45 is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does D.H.E. 45 come in?
- D.H.E. 45 is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is D.H.E. 45?
- D.H.E. 45 is classified as ergotamine derivative, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is D.H.E. 45 FDA-registered?
- D.H.E. 45 is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA005929. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
Information is sourced from public FDA regulatory data. Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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