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Quick facts
- How it is given
- subcutaneous
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 313165
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
Sumatriptan Injection, USP is indicated in adults for (1) the acute treatment of migraine, with or without aura, and (2) the acute treatment of cluster headache. Limitations of Use: • Use only if a clear diagnosis of migraine or cluster headache has been established. If a patient has no response to the first migraine attack treated with Sumatriptan Injection reconsider the diagnosis before Sumatriptan Injection is administered to treat any subsequent attacks. • Sumatriptan Injection is not indicated for the prevention of migraine attacks or cluster headache attacks. Sumatriptan injection, USP is a serotonin (5-HT 1B/1D ) receptor agonist (triptan) indicated for: • Acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults (1) • Acute treatment of cluster headache in adults (1) Limitations of Use : • Use only if a clear diagnosis of migraine or cluster headache has been established (1) • Not indicated for the prophylactic therapy of migraine or cluster headache attacks (1)
About this medicine
Sumatriptan injection, USP contains sumatriptan succinate, a selective 5-HT 1B/1D receptor agonist. Sumatriptan succinate is chemically designated as 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-N-methyl-indole-5-methanesulfonamide succinate (1:1), and it has the following structure: The empirical formula is C 14 H 21 N 3 O 2 S•C 4 H 6 O 4 , representing a molecular weight of 413.5. Sumatriptan succinate is a white to off-white powder that is readily soluble in water and in saline. Sumatriptan injection, USP is a clear, colorless to pale yellow, sterile, nonpyrogenic solution for subcutaneous injection. Each 0.5 mL of sumatriptan injection USP, 12 mg/mL solution contains 8.4 mg of sumatriptan succinate equivalent to 6 mg of sumatriptan and 3.5 mg of sodium chloride, USP in water for injection, USP. The pH range of the solution is approximately 4.2 to 5.3. The osmolality of the injection is 291 mOsmol. sumatriptan-image01
How it works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors. Sumatriptan presumably exerts its therapeutic effects in the treatment of migraine and cluster headaches through agonist effects at the 5-HT 1B/1D receptors on intracranial blood vessels and sensory nerves of the trigeminal system, which result in cranial vessel constriction and inhibition of pro-inflammatory neuropeptide release.
Who should not take it
Sumatriptan Injection is contraindicated in patients with: • Ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) (angina pectoris, history of myocardial infarction, or documented silent ischemia) or coronary artery vasospasm, including Prinzmetal’s angina [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or arrhythmias associated with other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. • History of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) or History of hemiplegic or basilar migraine because these patients are at a higher risk of stroke [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]. • Peripheral vascular disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]. • Ischemic bowel disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)]. • Uncontrolled hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]. • Recent use (i.e., within 24 hours) of ergotamine-containing medication, ergot-type medication (such as dihydroergotamine or methysergide), or another 5-hydroxytryptamine1 (5-HT 1 ) agonist [see Drug Interactions (7.1, 7.3)]. • Concurrent administration of a monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A inhibitor or recent (within 2 weeks) use of an MAO-A inhibitor [see Drug Interactions (7.2) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. • Hypersensitivity to sumatriptan (angioedema and anaphylaxis seen) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)]. • Severe hepatic impairment [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. • History of coronary artery disease or coronary artery vasospasm (4) • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders (4) • History of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or hemiplegic or basilar migraine (4) • Peripheral vascular disease (4) • Ischemic bowel disease (4) • Uncontrolled hypertension (4) • Recent (within 24 hours) use of another 5-HT 1 agonist (e.g., another triptan) or of an ergotamine-containing medication (4) • Concurrent or recent (past 2 weeks) use of monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor (4) • Hypersensitivity to Sumatriptan Injection (angioedema and anaphylaxis seen) (4) • Severe hepatic impairment (4)
Warnings and cautions
• Myocardial ischemia/infarction and Prinzmetal’s angina: Perform cardiac evaluation in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors (5.1) • Arrhythmias: Discontinue Sumatriptan Injection if occurs (5.2) • Chest/throat/neck/jaw pain, tightness, pressure, or heaviness: Generally not associated with myocardial ischemia; evaluate for coronary artery disease in patients at high risk (5.3) • Cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and stroke: Discontinue Sumatriptan Injection if occurs (5.4) • Gastrointestinal ischemic reactions and peripheral vasospastic reactions: Discontinue Sumatriptan Injection if occurs (5.5) • Medication overuse headache: Detoxification may be necessary (5.6) • Serotonin syndrome: Discontinue Sumatriptan Injection if occurs (5.7) • Seizures: Use with caution in patients with epilepsy or a lowered seizure threshold (5.10) 5.1 Myocardial Ischemia, Myocardial Infarction, and Prinzmetal's Angina The use of sumatriptan injection is contraindicated in patients with ischemic or vasospastic CAD. There have been rare reports of serious cardiac adverse reactions, including acute myocardial infarction, occurring within a few hours following administration of sumatriptan injection. Some of these reactions occurred in patients without known CAD. Sumatriptan injection may cause coronary artery vasospasm (Prinzmetal’s angina), even in patients without a history of CAD. Perform a cardiovascular evaluation in triptan-naive patients who have multiple cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., increased age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, strong family history of CAD) prior to receiving sumatriptan injection. If there is evidence of CAD or coronary artery vasospasm, sumatriptan injection is contraindicated. For patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors who have a negative cardiovascular evaluation, consider administering the first dose of sumatriptan injection in a medically supervised setting and performing an electrocardiogram (ECG) immediately following administration of sumatriptan injection. For such patients, consider periodic cardiovascular evaluation in intermittent long-term users of sumatriptan injection. […]
Reported side effects
The following serious adverse reactions are described below and elsewhere in the labeling: · Myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, and Prinzmetal’s angina [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] · Arrhythmias [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] · Chest, throat, neck, and/or jaw pain/tightness/pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] · Cerebrovascular events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] · Other vasospasm reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] · Medication overuse headache [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)] · Serotonin syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] · Increase in blood pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] · Hypersensitivity reactions [see Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5.9)] · Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10)] Most common adverse reactions (≥5% and >placebo) were injection site reactions, tingling, dizziness/vertigo, warm/hot sensation, burning sensation, feeling of heaviness, pressure sensation, flushing, feeling of tightness, and numbness (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Caplin Steriles Limited at 1-866-978-6111 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared with rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Migraine Headache Table 1 lists adverse reactions that occurred in 2 U.S. placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients with migraines (Studies 2 and 3) following either a single 6 mg dose of sumatriptan injection or placebo. Only reactions that occurred at a frequency of 2% or more in groups treated with sumatriptan injection 6 mg and that occurred at a frequency greater than the placebo group are included in Table 1. […]
Interactions with other medicines
7.1 Ergot-Containing Drugs Ergot-containing drugs have been reported to cause prolonged vasospastic reactions. Because these effects may be additive, use of ergotamine-containing or ergot-type medications (like dihydroergotamine or methysergide) and sumatriptan injection within 24 hours of each other is contraindicated. 7.2 Monoamine Oxidase-A Inhibitors MAO-A inhibitors increase systemic exposure by 2-fold. Therefore, the use of Sumatriptan injection in patients receiving MAO-A inhibitors is contraindicated [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. 7.3 Other 5-HT 1 Agonists Because their vasospastic effects may be additive, coadministration of Sumatriptan injection and other 5-HT 1 agonists (e.g., triptans) within 24 hours of each other is contraindicated. 7.4 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors /Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin Syndrome Cases of serotonin syndrome have been reported during coadministration of triptans and SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, and MAO inhibitors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)].
Use in specific groups
Pregnancy: Based on animal data, may cause fetal harm (8.1) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Data from a prospective pregnancy exposure registry and epidemiological studies of pregnant women have not detected an increased frequency of birth defects or a consistent pattern of birth defects among women exposed to sumatriptan compared with the general population (see Data). In developmental toxicity studies in rats and rabbits, oral administration of sumatriptan to pregnant animals was associated with embryolethality, fetal abnormalities, and pup mortality. When administered by the intravenous route to pregnant rabbits, sumatriptan was embryolethal (see Data). In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and of miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. The reported rate of major birth defects among deliveries to women with migraine ranged from 2.2% to 2.9% and the reported rate of miscarriage was 17%, which were similar to rates reported in women without migraine. Clinical Considerations Disease-Associated Maternal and/or Embryo/Fetal Risk: Several studies have suggested that women with migraine may be at increased risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy. Data Human Data: The Sumatriptan/Naratriptan/Treximet (sumatriptan and naproxen sodium) Pregnancy Registry, a population-based international prospective study, collected data for sumatriptan from January 1996 to September 2012. The Registry documented outcomes of 626 infants and foetuses exposed to sumatriptan during pregnancy (528 with earliest exposure during the first trimester, 78 during the second trimester, 16 during the third trimester, and 4 unknown). The occurrence of major birth defects (excluding fetal deaths and induced abortions without reported defects and all spontaneous pregnancy losses) during first-trimester exposure to sumatriptan was 4.2% (20/478 [95% CI: 2.6% to 6.5%]) and during any trimester of exposure was 4.2% (24/576 [95% CI: 2.7% to 6.2%]). The sample size in this study had 80% power to detect at least a 1.73- to 1.91-fold increase in the rate of major malformations. […]
If too much is taken
Coronary vasospasm was observed after intravenous administration of sumatriptan injection [see Contraindications (4)]. Overdoses would be expected from animal data (dogs at 0.1 g/kg, rats at 2 g/kg) to possibly cause convulsions, tremor, inactivity, erythema of the extremities, reduced respiratory rate, cyanosis, ataxia, mydriasis, injection site reactions (desquamation, hair loss, and scab formation), and paralysis. The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is about 2 hours [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] ; therefore, monitoring of patients after overdose with sumatriptan injection should continue for at least 10 hours or while symptoms or signs persist. It is unknown what effect hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis has on the serum concentrations of sumatriptan.
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This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 28 September 2024. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.