Contraindications and Precautions of Sumatriptan

Special Populations

• The American Academy of Neurology recommends that sumatriptan should be used only under strict specialist supervision during pregnancy due to limited safety data 1
• The American Academy of Neurology suggests that paracetamol (acetaminophen) is the preferred first-line medication for acute treatment of migraine in pregnancy 1
• The American Academy of Neurology considers sumatriptan relatively safe during breastfeeding 1
• The American Academy of Neurology states that multiple triptans, including sumatriptan, have been approved for adolescents aged 12-17 years 1
• The American Academy of Neurology notes that nasal spray formulations of sumatriptan may be most effective in adolescents 1

Contraindications and Precautions for Sumatriptan

Absolute Contraindications

• The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that sumatriptan should not be given to patients with uncontrolled hypertension due to the risk of serious cardiac events including myocardial infarction 2
• The American Academy of Family Physicians advises against the use of sumatriptan in patients who have recently used (within 24 hours) ergotamine-containing medications or other ergot-type medications due to potential medication interactions 3

Special Precautions and Relative Contraindications

• Sumatriptan has oxytocic properties that may affect pregnancy, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians 4