Tell your doctor if you suffer from high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease, phenylketonuria (tablets may contain phenylalanine), 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. If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use rizatriptan, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

Do 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, history of a heart attack or stroke, ischemic bowel disease, severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or a headache that is not like other headaches you have had.

Do not use 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.

Do not use rizatriptan within 24 hours after taking any of the following medicines: almotriptan (Axert®), eletriptan (Relpax®), frovatriptan (Frova®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®), naratriptan (Amerge®), or zolmitriptan (Zomig®); or  ergot medicine such as methysergide (Sansert®), ergotamine (Ergomar®, Ergostat®, Cafergot®, Ercaf®, Wigraine®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal Nasal Spray®), ergonovine (Ergotrate®), methylergonovine (Methergine®).

Moreover, inform your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: propranolol (Inderal®, InnoPran®); an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa®), duloxetine (Cymbalta®), escitalopram (Lexapro®), fluoxetine (Prozac®, Sarafem®), fluvoxamine (Luvox®), paroxetine (Paxil®), sertraline (Zoloft®), or venlafaxine (Effexor®); or another migraine medicine such as almotriptan (Axert®), eletriptan (Relpax®), frovatriptan (Frova®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®), naratriptan (Amerge®), or zolmitriptan (Zomig®). If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use rizatriptan, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed above that can affect the mechanism of 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.

This medication falls into the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it may be harmful to an unborn baby. 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.

Furthermore, 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.

Rizatriptan can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

This medicine should not be given to anyone younger than 18 years old.

 

FDA Information

Why is this medication prescribed?

Other uses for this medicine

Dosage and using this medicine

What should I do if I forget a dose?

What side effects can this medication cause?

What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?

In case of an emergency/overdose