What is Rizatriptan: Uses, Warnings & Interactions

Use rizatriptan only when you have a migraine.

Take this medication as instructed.

Please read the Patient Information sheet that comes with this drug.

Doses can be taken with or without food.

If the headache improves but comes back, take a second dose at least two hours after the first. 

Tablets:

• Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. 

Orally disintegrating tablets:

• Make sure your hands are dry before handling the disintegrating tablet. 

• First, remove the blister from the foil pack.

• Peel back the foil from the blister pack, then remove the tablet. Do not push the tablet through the foil. 

• Place the tablet in your mouth. 

• After it has melted, swallow or take a drink of water.

Film:

• Keep the film in the aluminum pouch until ready to take a dose.

• Fold the aluminum pouch at the dotted line and tear it open at the tear notch.

• Remove the film from the pouch.

• Place the film on the tongue.

• After it has melted, swallow or take a drink of water.

Store rizatriptan tablets, disintegrating tablets, or film at room temperature.

Rizatriptan can be taken at any time during an active migraine.

If a dose is missed, take it if the migraine is still active.

This medicine is not right for everyone. 

Do not use it if you have had an allergic reaction to rizatriptan, or if you have:

• Heart disease

• Chest pain (angina)

• Blood flow problems in the intestines (ischemic bowel disease)

• Circulation problems (peripheral vascular disease)

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure

• Hemiplegic or basilar migraine

• A history of heart attack, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Tell any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you that you are using this medicine. 

Keep all appointments with the prescriber.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, overweight, postmenopausal, or if you have:

• A history of heart problems 

• A family history of heart problems

• High blood pressure

• Chest pain

• Shortness of breath

• Circulation problems

• High cholesterol

• Diabetes

• Kidney problems

• Liver problems

Tell the prescriber if you smoke.

This medicine can cause serious problems, including:

• Increased risk for heart rhythm problems, heart attack, or stroke

• Blood vessel problems

• Serotonin syndrome 

• High blood pressure

• Severe allergic reactions

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

If you use headache medicine for 10 or more days per month, your headaches may worsen. Call the prescriber if your migraines do not improve or get worse.

Orally disintegrating tablets may contain aspartame that could cause serious problems in people with phenylketonuria (PKU). 

Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in a single 24-hour period.

Never take a rizatriptan dose if another triptan or ergot medicine has been taken for a migraine in the past 24 hours.

Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) within the past two weeks.

Rizatriptan has some significant drug interactions, so the prescriber should know about all the medications you’re taking, particularly: 

• SSRIs

• SNRIs

• Propranolol

Tell other healthcare providers you are using this medicine before they prescribe new medications.