What is Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Rizatriptan is a headache medicine. It is believed to work by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain. Rizatriptan also reduces substances in the body that can trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms.
Rizatriptan is used to treat migraine headaches.
Rizatriptan will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks.
Rizatriptan should not be used to treat common tension headaches or any headache that seems to be different from your usual migraine headaches. Use this medication only if your condition has been confirmed by a doctor as migraine headaches.
Rizatriptan may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Rizatriptan will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks.
After taking a rizatriptan tablet, you must wait two (2) hours before taking a second tablet. Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in 24 hours.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to rizatriptan, 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 or uncontrolled high blood pressure; or
• a headache that is not like other headaches you have had

Do not take rizatriptan if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the past 14 days.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before taking rizatriptan, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver disease
• kidney disease (especially if you are on dialysis)
• 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)

Rizatriptan disintegrating tablets may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of rizatriptan if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether this medication is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking rizatriptan, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Your name may need to be listed on a rizatriptan pregnancy registry when you start using this medication.
It is not known whether rizatriptan passes into breast milk or if it could 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 under 18 years old.

Maxalt Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using rizatriptan and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling
• sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
• sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance
• sudden and severe stomach pain and bloody diarrhea
• numbness or tingling and a pale or blue-colored appearance in your fingers or toes; or
• (if you are also taking an antidepressant) – agitation, high fever, sweating, fast or pounding heartbeats, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of balance or coordination, overactive reflexes, hallucinations, fainting

Less serious side effects may include:

• dry mouth, mild nausea
• feeling of pain or tightness in your jaw, neck, or throat
• pressure or heavy feeling in any part of your body
• dizziness, drowsiness, weakness; or

• mild tingly feeling

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Maxalt Interactions

What other drugs affect Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Before taking rizatriptan, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran); or
• an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with rizatriptan. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Do not take rizatriptan within 24 hours before or after using another migraine headache medicine, including:

• almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), sumatriptan (Imitrex, Treximet), or zolmitriptan (Zomig); or
• ergot medicine such as dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal), ergotamine (Ergomar, Ergostat, Cafergot, Ercaf, Wigraine), ergonovine (Ergotrate), methylergonovine (Methergine), or methysergide (Sansert)

Maxalt Dosage

How should I take Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

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 rizatriptan 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 rizatriptan tablet whole with a full glass of water.
To take rizatriptan orally disintegrating tablets (Maxalt-MLT):

• Keep the tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take the medicine. Open the package and peel back the foil from the tablet blister. Do not push a tablet through the foil or you may damage the tablet
• Using dry hands, remove the tablet and place it in your mouth. It will begin to dissolve right away
• Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing
• Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet

After taking a tablet: If your headache does not completely go away, or goes away and comes back, take a second tablet two (2) hours after the first. Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in 24 hours. If your symptoms have not improved, 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 rizatriptan 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 rizatriptan at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I overdose on Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose could cause high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, or seizure).

What happens if I miss a dose of Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?

Since rizatriptan is used as needed, it does not have a daily dosing schedule. Call your doctor promptly if your symptoms do not improve after using rizatriptan.
After taking a rizatriptan tablet, you must wait two (2) hours before taking a second tablet. Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in 24 hours.
Edited from everydayhealth.com