Amerge (Naratriptan) Patient Information: How Should I Take the Drug at RxList

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May 24, 2012

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Migraine »

What is a migraine headache?

A migraine headache is a form of vascular headache. Migraine headache is caused by vasodilatation (enlargement of blood vessels) that causes the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the large arteries of the brain. Enlargement of these blood vessels stretches the nerves that coil around them and causes the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery. The increasing enlargement of the arteries magnifies the pain.

Migraine attacks commonly activate the sympathetic nervous system in the body. The sympathetic nervous system is often thought of as the part of the nervous system that controls primitive responses to stress and pain, the so-called "fight or flight" response, and this activation causes many of the symptoms associated with migraine attacks; for example, the increased sympathetic nervous activity in the intestine causes nausea, vomiting,...

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Amerge Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using naratriptan (Amerge)?

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to naratriptan, or if you have a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, ischemic bowel disease, severe liver or kidney disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or history of a heart attack or stroke.

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to naratriptan, or if you have:

a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, heart attack, or stroke, including "mini-stroke";
ischemic bowel disease;
severe liver disease;
severe kidney disease;
severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure; or
a headache that is not like other headaches you have had.

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before taking naratriptan, tell your doctor if you have:

liver disease;
kidney disease;
heart disease, high blood pressure, a heart rhythm disorder; or
coronary artery disease (or risk factors that include diabetes, menopause, smoking, being overweight, having high blood pressure or high cholesterol, having a family history of coronary artery disease, being older than 40 and a man, or being a woman who has had a hysterectomy).

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking naratriptan, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Your name may need to be listed on a naratriptan pregnancy registry when you start using this medication.

Naratriptan can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give this medicine to anyone younger than 18 or older than 65.

How should I use naratriptan (Amerge)?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Never take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Overuse of migraine headache medicine can actually make your headaches worse. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.

Take naratriptan as soon as you notice headache symptoms, or after an attack has already begun.

Your doctor may want to give your first dose of this medicine in a hospital or clinic setting to see if you have any serious side effects.

Take one naratriptan tablet whole with a full glass of water.

After taking a tablet: If your headache does not go away completely, or if the headache goes away and then comes back, call your doctor before taking a second tablet. You must wait at least four (4) hours after you have taken the first tablet before you take the second tablet. Do not take more than two (2) naratriptan tablets in 24 hours.

If your symptoms have not improved after taking 2 tablets in 24 hours, contact your doctor before taking any more tablets.

Contact your doctor if you have more than four headaches in one month (30 days).

If you use naratriptan long-term, your doctor may want to check your heart function periodically using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG), a machine that measures electrical activity of the heart. This will help your doctor determine if it is still safe for you to use this medication. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Store naratriptan at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

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