Imitrex Injection (Sumatriptan Succinate Injection) Drug Information: Overdosage and Contraindications

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May 27, 2012

Imitrex Injection

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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.

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Imitrex Injection

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OVERDOSE

Patients (N = 269) have received single injections of 8 to 12 mg without significant adverse effects. Volunteers (N = 47) have received single subcutaneous doses of up to 16 mg without serious adverse events.

No gross overdoses in clinical practice have been reported. Coronary vasospasm was observed after intravenous administration of IMITREX Injection (see CONTRAINDICATIONS). Overdoses would be expected from animal data (dogs at 0.1 g/kg, rats at 2 g/kg) to possibly cause convulsions, tremor, inactivity, erythema of the extremities, reduced respiratory rate, cyanosis, ataxia, mydriasis, injection site reactions (desquamation, hair loss, and scab formation), and paralysis. The half-life of elimination of sumatriptan is about 2 hours (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY: Pharmacokinetics), and therefore monitoring of patients after overdose with IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) should continue while symptoms or signs persist, and for at least 10 hours.

It is unknown what effect hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis has on the serum concentrations of sumatriptan.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) should not be given intravenously because of its potential to cause coronary vasospasm.

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) should not be given to patients with history, symptoms, or signs of ischemic cardiac, cerebrovascular, or peripheral vascular syndromes. In addition, patients with other significant underlying cardiovascular diseases should not receive IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) . Ischemic cardiac syndromes include, but are not limited to, angina pectoris of any type (e.g., stable angina of effort and vasospastic forms of angina such as the Prinzmetal variant), all forms of myocardial infarction, and silent myocardial ischemia. Cerebrovascular syndromes include, but are not limited to, strokes of any type as well as transient ischemic attacks. Peripheral vascular disease includes, but is not limited to, ischemic bowel disease (see WARNINGS: Other Vasospasm-Related Events and WARNINGS: Risk of Myocardial Ischemia and/or Infarction and Other Adverse Cardiac Events).

Because IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) may increase blood pressure, it should not be given to patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) and any ergotamine-containing or ergot-type medication (like dihydroergotamine or methysergide) should not be used within 24 hours of each other, nor should IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) and another 5-HT₁ agonist.

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) should not be administered to patients with hemiplegic or basilar migraine.

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to sumatriptan or any of its components.

IMITREX Injection (sumatriptan succinate injection) is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment.

Last reviewed on RxList: 8/13/2010
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.