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sumatriptan tablet - oral, Imitrex (cont.)

PRECAUTIONS: See also How to Use section.Before using sumatriptan, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other triptan drugs (e.g., zolmitriptan, rizatriptan); or if you have any other allergies.This medication should not be taken if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medication, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have a history of: heart disease (e.g., chest pain, heart attack), decreased blood flow in the brain (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack), blood circulation disease (e.g., ischemic bowel disease), uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), certain types of headaches (hemiplegic or basilar migraine), liver disease.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: certain blood circulation disorders (e.g., Raynaud's disease), seizures.Tell your doctor if you have the following risk factors for heart disease: diabetes, family history of heart disease, high blood pressure (controlled), high cholesterol, overweight, smoker, female after menopause, male over age 40.If you are at high risk for heart disease, your doctor may want to check your heart before prescribing sumatriptan.This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.The risk of heart disease, liver disease, and high blood pressure increases with age. The manufacturer does not recommend the use of sumatriptan in the elderly since they may be more sensitive to the side effects, including an increase in blood pressure.This medication should be taken only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.This drug passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: See also Side Effects section.Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.This drug should not be taken with the following medication because very serious interactions may occur: a certain weight loss drug (sibutramine).Do not take this medication if you are taking MAO inhibitors (e.g., furazolidone, isocarboxazid, linezolid, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine) or have used MAO inhibitors in the past 2 weeks. In some cases a serious, possibly fatal, drug interaction may occur.If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting sumatriptan.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: certain types of antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs such as fluoxetine/paroxetine/sertraline, NSRIs such as venlafaxine).If you also take any ergotamine medication (e.g., dihydroergotamine or methysergide) or any other "triptan" drugs (e.g., zolmitriptan, rizatriptan), you will need to separate your sumatriptan dose from your dose of these other medications in order to lessen the chance of serious side effects. Ask your doctor how long you should wait between your doses of these drugs.Also report the use of drugs which might increase seizure risk (decrease seizure threshold) when combined with sumatriptan such as isoniazid (INH), phenothiazines (e.g., thioridazine), theophylline, or tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline) among others. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details.This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.



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