Maxalt
Maxalt is a medicine that reduces the widening of blood vessels around the brain and treats migraine headaches in adults.
Form
tabletti
Strength
10 mg
Active Ingredient
Rizatriptan benzoate
Manufacturer
N.V. Organon
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose is 10 mg, but if you have kidney or liver disease or take propranolol, your doctor may prescribe 5 mg.
Method
Take the tablet whole with liquid, by mouth, as soon as your migraine headache starts. You can take it with or without food, but it might work slower if taken after a meal. Do not use it to prevent a migraine.
Important
Do not take more than two doses in a 24-hour period. Wait at least two hours between doses.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Tingling, headache, reduced skin sensation, decreased mental sharpness, sleeplessness.
- •Fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations).
- •Flushing (redness of the face).
- •Discomfort in the throat.
- •Nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion.
- •Heaviness in some body parts, neck pain, stiffness.
- •Abdominal or chest pain.
RARE
- •Bad taste in mouth.
- •Unsteady gait, dizziness (vertigo), blurred vision, shaking, fainting.
- •Confusion, nervousness.
- •High blood pressure, thirst, hot flashes, sweating.
- •Rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat, shortness of breath.
- •Tightness in some body parts, muscle weakness.
- •Changes in heart rhythm or rate (arrhythmias), abnormal ECG results, very fast heartbeats.
- •Facial pain, muscle pain.
- •Wheezing.
- •Allergic reaction (hypersensitivity), sudden life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
- •Stroke, slow heartbeat.
- •Heart attack, spasms in heart blood vessels.
- •Serotonin syndrome (symptoms include unconsciousness, unstable blood pressure, very high body temperature, lack of coordination, anxiety, and hallucinations).
- •Severe skin peeling, possibly with fever.
- •Seizures (convulsions).
- •Blood vessel constriction in limbs, causing coldness and numbness in hands/feet, or in the large intestine, causing abdominal pain.
Important Warnings
- Do not use Maxalt if you are allergic to rizatriptan or any other ingredient in this medicine, or if you have had severe allergic reactions like swelling of your face, lips, or tongue that makes it hard to breathe or swallow.
- Do not use Maxalt if you have moderate to severe high blood pressure that is not treated, or if you have had heart disease, a heart attack, chest pain, certain heart rhythm problems, or a stroke.
- Avoid using Maxalt if you have severe liver or kidney disease, or blockages in your arteries.
- Do not use Maxalt if you are taking or have taken MAO inhibitor antidepressants in the last two weeks, or if you are taking other migraine medicines like ergotamines or other triptans (e.g., sumatriptan, naratriptan).
- Contact your doctor if your headache comes with dizziness, difficulty walking, coordination problems, or weakness in your arms/legs.
Show 3 more warnings
- If you use Maxalt too often, it can lead to chronic headaches. Talk to your doctor if you suspect this.
- Maxalt can cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery if you experience these symptoms.
- Tell your doctor if you have risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, family history of heart disease, men over 40, or post-menopausal women) or if you are taking St. John's wort or SSRI/SNRI medicines for depression.