Complete adverse effect profile including incidence rates and management
Important Safety Information
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any unexpected symptoms. For serious or life-threatening side effects, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS Serious cardiac reactions, including myocardial infarction, have occurred following the use of almotriptan (almotriptan malate) tablets.
These reactions are extremely rare and most have been reported in patients with risk factors predictive of CAD.
Reactions reported in association with triptans have included coronary artery vasospasm, transient myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation [see Contraindications (4.1) and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] .
The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling: • Risk of Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction and Other Adverse Cardiac Events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Sensations of Pain, Tightness, Pressure in the Chest and/or Throat, Neck, and Jaw [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Cerebrovascular Events and Fatalities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Other Vasospasm-Related Events, Including Peripheral Vascular Ischemia and Colonic Ischemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • Serotonin Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Increases in Blood Pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] Adverse events were assessed in controlled clinical trials that included 1840 adult patients who received one or two doses of almotriptan tablets and 386 adult patients who received placebo.
The most common adverse reactions during treatment with almotriptan tablets were nausea, somnolence, headache, paresthesia, and dry mouth.
In long-term open-label studies where patients were allowed to treat multiple attacks for up to 1 year, 5% (63 out of 1347 patients) withdrew due to adverse experiences.
Adverse events were assessed in controlled clinical trials that included 362 adolescent patients who received almotriptan tablets and 172 adolescent patients who received placebo.
The most common adverse reactions during treatment with almotriptan tablets were dizziness, somnolence, headache, paresthesia, nausea, and vomiting.
In a long-term, open-label study where patients were allowed to treat multiple attacks for up to 1 year, 2% (10 out of 420 adolescent patients) withdrew due to adverse events.
Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • Serious adverse cardiac events, including acute myocardial infarction and life-threatening disturbances of cardiac rhythm ( 5.1 ) • It is strongly recommended that almotriptan tablets not be given to patients in whom unrecognized coronary artery disease (CAD) is predicted by the presence of risk factors.
In very rare cases, serious cardiovascular events have been reported in association with almotriptan tablet use in the absence of known cardiovascular disease.
If almotriptan tablets are considered, patients should first have a cardiovascular evaluation.
If the evaluation is satisfactory, first dose should take place in a physician’s office setting ( 5.1 ) • Sensations of pain, tightness, pressure, and heaviness in the chest, throat, neck, and jaw: generally not associated with myocardial ischemia, but patients with signs or symptoms suggestive of angina should be evaluated for the presence of CAD ( 5.2 ) • Cerebrovascular events, some fatal ( 5.3 ) • Gastrointestinal ischemic events and peripheral vasospastic reactions (e.g., Raynaud’s syndrome) ( 5.4 ) • Potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome, particularly in combination with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Monitor patients for neurologic changes and gastrointestinal symptoms if concomitant treatment is clinically warranted ( 5.5 , 7.3 ) • Medication overuse headache: Detoxification may be necessary ( 5.6 ) • Increase in blood pressure, very rarely associated with significant clinical events ( 4.4 , 5.7 ) • Use with caution in patients with a known hypersensitivity to sulfonamides ( 5.8 ) 5.1 Risk of Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction and Other Adverse Cardiac Events Cardiac Events and Fatalities with 5-HT 1 Agonists Serious adverse cardiac events, including acute myocardial infarction, have been reported within a few hours following administration of almotriptan tablets (almotriptan malate).
Like all medications, Almotriptan Malate can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes this medication will experience them. Many side effects are dose-dependent and may improve as your body adjusts to the medication. Others may require dose adjustment or medical attention.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience:
Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience signs of: