Available Formulations
Sumatriptan is marketed under the brand name Imitrex and is available in multiple formulations 1:
- Subcutaneous injection (6 mg) - reaches peak blood concentrations in approximately 15 minutes, fastest of all migraine-specific medications
- Oral tablets (25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg)
- Intranasal spray (5-10 mg)
Clinical Context
Sumatriptan (Imitrex) is a selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist ("triptan") used for acute treatment of migraine headaches with or without aura 1, 2. The subcutaneous formulation has been shown to be effective in 70-82% of patients and provides the most rapid onset of action among all migraine-specific medications 1.
Other Delivery Device Brand Names
While the generic drug is sumatriptan and the primary brand is Imitrex, there are also specific branded delivery devices:
- Imitrex STATdose® - reloadable autoinjector device 3
- Zembrace® SymTouch® - disposable two-step autoinjector 3
- Sumavel® DosePro® - disposable three-step autoinjector 3
The non-oral formulations (subcutaneous and intranasal) are particularly useful when significant nausea and/or vomiting accompany the migraine 1.