EVIDENCE-BASED

Sumatriptan

WHO ATCN02CC01INNSumatriptan

Sumatriptan is a triptan medicine used for the acute treatment of migraine. Different formulations include tablets, nasal products and injections, and their dosing instructions are not interchangeable.

At a glance

Quick facts

Drug snapshot
Drug class
Triptan · 5-HT1B/1D agonist
Main use
Acute migraine treatment
Routes
Oral · nasal · injection
WHO ATC
N02CC01
Prevention?
No — acute treatment
Key safety
Cardiovascular contraindications

Names & terminology

How this entity may be named or searched

Canonical generic name
Sumatriptan
Salt name
Sumatriptan succinate
Brand example
Imitrex — market availability varies
Formulation terms
oral sumatriptan · sumatriptan nasal · sumatriptan injection

Structured drug profile

Drug profile

INN data
INNSumatriptanInternational nonproprietary name.
WHO ATCN02CC01WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification.
Drug classTriptan · selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonistPharmacologic / therapeutic class.
MechanismActivates serotonin 5-HT1B/1D receptors involved in migraine pathways.Mechanism summarized at reference level.
RouteOral · nasal · subcutaneousAvailable routes depend on the specific product.
Main usesAcute migraine; injectable products may also be labeled for cluster headacheApproved indications can differ by country and formulation.
Key safety contextCardiovascular contraindications · serotonergic interactions · medication-overuse headacheCheck the exact product label and patient-specific contraindications.
Monitoring / reviewAttack response · cardiovascular risk · frequency of acute-treatment useClinical monitoring depends on indication, dose and patient factors.

What is sumatriptan?

Sumatriptan is a triptan used for the acute treatment of migraine. It treats an attack after it begins and is not a preventive medicine.

What is sumatriptan used for?

Sumatriptan tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. They are not intended to prevent migraine attacks. Injectable sumatriptan has additional use for acute cluster headache in some product labeling, which is why formulation matters. [1]

How sumatriptan works

Sumatriptan activates 5-HT1B/1D serotonin receptors involved in migraine biology, affecting cranial blood vessels and trigeminal pain signaling.

Forms and formulations

Sumatriptan is available as tablets, nasal products and injections. Doses, repeat-dose rules and maximum daily exposure differ by formulation.

Country / market layer

Brands & formulations by country

Selected registered products and formulations differ by market. African tabs use national regulatory records or regulator-backed public registration data.

Local availability
🇿🇦
South AfricaSAHPRA professional information
Source ↗
Brand / productFormStrengths / notes
ImigranNasal spray20 mg single-dose device
Examples are not a complete product register and do not imply current pharmacy stock. Registration status, strengths and legal availability can change. No Nigeria tab is shown because the public NAFDAC ingredient page was found but did not expose a current product row during verification.

How sumatriptan is taken

For the U.S. tablet label cited here, single doses are 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg. A second dose is considered only after some response to the first and must be separated by at least 2 hours; the labeled maximum is 200 mg in 24 hours. Nasal and injectable products use different instructions. [1]

Side effects and urgent symptoms

Commonly reported sensations include tingling, warmth or cold, pressure or tightness sensations, dizziness and fatigue. Serious warnings include cardiovascular ischemia, cerebrovascular events, vasospasm, serotonin syndrome and seizures. New severe chest pain, neurologic symptoms or signs of a severe allergic reaction require urgent assessment. [1]

Who should not use sumatriptan tablets?

The cited U.S. tablet label lists important contraindications including ischemic or vasospastic coronary disease, prior stroke or TIA, peripheral vascular disease, ischemic bowel disease, uncontrolled hypertension, recent use of another triptan or ergot drug, MAO-A inhibitor use within the previous 2 weeks, severe hepatic impairment and hypersensitivity to sumatriptan. [1]

Interactions

Important interactions include other triptans or ergot medicines taken too close together, MAO inhibitors for certain products, and serotonergic medicines because of serotonin-syndrome risk.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Available pregnancy data have not established a major teratogenic signal, but treatment decisions should consider symptom severity and alternatives. Breastfeeding advice is product- and situation-specific.

Overdose and accidental extra doses

Suspected overdose requires medical or poison-centre advice, particularly because cardiovascular and neurologic effects may occur.

Medication-overuse headache

Using acute migraine medicines too often can worsen headache frequency. The U.S. label warns that overuse of triptans and other acute migraine medicines for 10 or more days per month may contribute to medication-overuse headache. [1]

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

EVIDENCE-BASED

Sources

Clinical statements in this reference are linked to named public-health, regulatory or guideline sources.

  1. 1. DailyMed. Sumatriptan tablets prescribing information, updated March 2026. Source ↗
  2. 2. MedlinePlus. Sumatriptan Drug Information. Source ↗
  3. 3. NHS. About sumatriptan, including current UK formulations and brands. Source ↗

This medicine reference is based on trusted medical and regulatory sources and is awaiting clinician review. It is not a substitute for personalized medical advice.