AMERGE

Naratriptan is classified within a category of medications known as triptans. It exerts its influence on a specific naturally occurring chemical, serotonin, which plays a role in narrowing blood vessels within the brain. Additionally, it has the potential to obstruct other neural pathways responsible for pain perception within the brain.

The available data and clinical insights indicate that sumatriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan, almotriptan, and zolmitriptan share substantial oral similarities. In contrast, naratriptan and frovatriptan exhibit a slower onset of action and lower effectiveness.

Naratriptan, sold under the brand name Amerge, is a triptan medication designed to alleviate all the symptoms associated with an acute migraine headache, rather than solely targeting the intense head pain.

Naratriptan belongs to a category of drugs known as selective serotonin receptor agonists. Its mechanism of action involves the constriction of blood vessels around the brain, interrupting the transmission of pain signals to the brain, and inhibiting the release of specific natural substances responsible for inducing pain, nausea, and other migraine symptoms.

Consuming alcohol might disrupt the effectiveness of this medication. If you notice any alterations in your eyesight, promptly inform your healthcare team.

Rizatriptan 10 mg proves to be superior in alleviating migraine symptoms when compared to naratriptan 2.5 mg. It provides quicker relief from headaches and freedom from pain in comparison to naratriptan. Moreover, both rizatriptan 10 mg and naratriptan 2.5 mg are well-tolerated options.

Naratriptan is used in adults for the treatment of acute migraine headaches. It operates within the brain to alleviate the pain associated with migraine headaches and falls under the category of medications known as triptans. Numerous individuals experience complete relief from their headaches upon taking naratriptan.

Weakness, fatigue, stomach discomfort, queasiness, lightheadedness, and fluctuations in body temperature (either feeling warm or cold).

Certain individuals may experience drowsiness or dizziness during or after a migraine episode or after taking naratriptan to alleviate a migraine. While you are still experiencing drowsiness or dizziness, it is essential to refrain from activities like driving, operating machinery, or engaging in any tasks that could pose a risk due to impaired alertness or dizziness.

Even if you receive advance warning signals of an impending migraine, such as an aura, it is advisable to wait until the headache pain actually begins before using naratriptan. It’s a good idea to consult your doctor in advance to discuss alternative medications to consider if naratriptan proves ineffective.

Triptans, including prescription medications like sumatriptan (Imitrex, Tosymra) and rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT), are used in the treatment of migraines due to their ability to inhibit pain pathways in the brain. Whether administered as pills, injections, or nasal sprays, they can effectively alleviate numerous migraine symptoms.

Avoid rapid changes in position, particularly if you’re an older patient, to minimize the potential for dizziness or fainting. Alcohol can potentially disrupt the medication’s effectiveness, so promptly inform your healthcare team if you notice any alterations in your eyesight.

Naratriptan, available as Amerge, is offered in two strengths: 1 mg and 2.5 mg. The usual dose for migraine pain is 1 mg or 2.5 mg taken orally as a single dose. If your migraine persists or returns, you can consider taking another dose after a 4-hour interval. However, it’s important not to exceed a total daily dose of 5 mg.

If you become pregnant while using naratriptan, please contact your doctor. It’s essential to be aware that naratriptan might induce drowsiness. Refrain from driving a vehicle or operating machinery until you understand how this medication impacts your alertness and capabilities.

Naratriptan can frequently lead to sensations of tightness, discomfort, or pressure in the chest, jaw, or neck, which are generally not considered severe. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that these side effects resemble symptoms of a heart attack, which can encompass chest, jaw, or left arm pain, shortness of breath, or unusual sweating.

Category
Top Triptan

Most Effective Overall
No definitive champion, although some studies favor eletriptan

Fastest Acting
Nasal or injectable triptans

Fastest Acting Oral Triptan
Rizatriptan

Longest Duration of Action
Frovatriptan

The use of triptans should be limited to no more than 2 days per week or a total of 10 days per month. If you find yourself needing triptans more frequently than this, you may find relief with a daily preventative migraine medication. It’s important to be aware that the use of triptans can potentially increase the risk of certain heart problems.

Amerge typically takes effect within 1 to 3 hours. Its purpose is to alleviate acute migraine symptoms, and it is specifically designed for the treatment of ongoing migraines. It should not be used as a preventative measure to stop migraines from occurring. It’s important to avoid excessive use of acute migraine medications, as it can lead to medication overuse headaches.

Inform your healthcare provider if you experience more than four headaches within a single month (30 days). Naratriptan has the potential to elevate blood pressure to hazardous levels, so it may be necessary to monitor your blood pressure regularly while you are taking this medication.

Medication-induced headache, also known as medication-overuse headache, can result from excessive use of painkillers or triptans. If you find yourself using naratriptan or painkillers on more than two days a week as a routine, there’s a possibility you may be at risk of developing this condition. It’s advisable to have a discussion with your doctor if you have any concerns or suspicions regarding this issue.

Abilify (aripiprazole)
Adderall (amphetamine / dextroamphetamine)
Aimovig (erenumab)
Ajovy (fremanezumab)
Ambien (zolpidem)
Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA)
Claritin (loratadine)

Naratriptan sets itself apart from sumatriptan and certain other triptans due to its notably high oral bioavailability, extended half-life, and duration of action, even though it does have a slower onset of action.

The elimination half-life of naratriptan is approximately 6 hours, as indicated in the clinical pharmacology section. Consequently, it is advisable to observe and monitor patients for at least 24 hours following an overdose of AMERGE, or until symptoms and signs have subsided. It’s important to note that there is no specific antidote available for naratriptan.

Overdose symptoms could encompass fatigue, stiffness in the neck, impaired coordination, or sensations of light-headedness.

Drug interactions: There were no identified interactions between ibuprofen and naratriptan.

In comparison to oral sumatriptan at 100 mg, naratriptan at 2.5 mg has been observed to be less effective in terms of the probability of achieving headache relief. However, it is worth noting that the latter has nearly negligible adverse effects (Diener et al., 1999).

Sumatriptan (Imitrex) is accessible in a more affordable generic tablet form. Naratriptan (Amerge) is used for the relief of migraines. While it may not provide as rapid relief as some other similar migraine medications, it can be a valuable alternative if previous medications have proven ineffective for you.

Among the triptans, naratriptan and frovatriptan exhibit the most gradual onset of action and may have the least likelihood of inducing side effects.

Amerge (naratriptan hydrochloride) is a specific agonist of the 5-HT1D/1B receptors, belonging to the triptan class. It is prescribed for the immediate treatment of migraines, both with and without aura, in adults with a confirmed migraine diagnosis. Administered orally, it serves to alleviate the severity of migraines. Typically, Amerge begins to take effect within a span of 1 to 3 hours.

Rizatriptan: Among orally administered triptans, rizatriptan boasts the swiftest onset of action, typically within around 30 minutes. However, it is characterized by a relatively short elimination half-life, ranging from 2 to 2.5 hours. Consequently, it exhibits a higher likelihood of recurrence within 24 hours compared to a placebo.

The recommended adult dosage for Amerge consists of 1 mg or 2.5 mg tablets to be ingested with a drink. If needed, the dose can be repeated once after a 4-hour interval, with a maximum total dosage of 5 mg within a 24-hour timeframe.

In terms of time-to-pain relief within 2 hours, rizatriptan 10 mg generally outperformed sumatriptan. Pain relief was defined as a reduction of pain to mild or none. The odds ratio for rizatriptan versus sumatriptan 100 mg was 1.21, and for rizatriptan 10 mg versus sumatriptan 50 mg, it was 1.14 and 1.10 in two separate instances.

This medication can heighten the likelihood of experiencing irregular heart rhythm, a heart attack, angina, or a stroke. The risk is amplified if you or a family member have a history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if you are a smoker.

Sumatriptan 50mg is the preferred initial option. The 100mg dosage is associated with a higher occurrence of adverse effects and offers only a slight increase in effectiveness. If the initial triptan dose proves ineffective, it’s advisable to contemplate alternative medications.