Rizatriptan
Rizatriptan, sold as Maxalt, is a triptan tablet for stopping a migraine attack once it starts. The single product on this shelf comes in 5 mg and 10 mg strengths.
Key points
- Rizatriptan treats a migraine in progress; it does not reduce how often attacks occur.
- The medicine is contraindicated in several ischaemic and vascular conditions, and recent use of another triptan or an ergot medicine is an important check before taking it.
- Maxalt is the brand-name version of rizatriptan, marketed by Merck.
How does rizatriptan work?
Rizatriptan activates 5-HT1B/1D receptors on blood vessels in the brain, causing them to narrow back toward their normal width. During a migraine, these vessels dilate and press on surrounding nerves, which is what produces the throbbing pain. By reversing that dilation, rizatriptan eases the attack. It sits in the Neurology category alongside other triptans.