Almotriptan

At Almotriptan it is an acute drug for migraines. The drug produced by the Spanish pharmaceutical company Almirall is offered by various companies in Germany and is also available in pharmacies without a prescription.

What is almotriptan?

As a vasoconstricting, analgesic and anti-inflammatory active ingredient of the triptan group, almotriptan is used for the acute treatment of migraines with and without aura. It is not suitable for preventive treatment.

The mode of action is based on the agonism at the serotonin 5-HT1 receptors. Almotriptan has only been available as a second non-prescription triptan since 2009. Until then, only naratriptan was available for self-medication.

Because of their good risk-benefit ratio, the prescription requirement has been lifted for both active ingredients. Nevertheless, it is still recommended to consult a doctor if the headache persists for 24 hours or if other symptoms occur.

Almotriptan is taken orally with liquid and is commercially available in tablet form. The bioavailability is 70%. The breakdown takes place in the liver. The half-life is around 3 - 4 hours. Almotriptan has proven to be well tolerated.

Pharmacological effect

The triptan drug Almotriptan has a vasoconstrictor (vasoconstricting) effect on the blood vessels in the brain directly at the pain site. Migraine pain is caused by vasodilator (vasodilator).

By constricting the blood vessels with Almotriptan, not only does the pain decrease. The additional complaints often complained about in connection with migraines, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to noise and light, are also absent. In addition, Almotriptan causes the amount of inflammatory messenger substances released to decrease. The first pain relief starts about half an hour after ingestion. However, the characteristic mechanism of action of almotriptan means that the drug does not help with headaches of any other origin.

Almotriptan cannot be used as a preventative against migraine attacks. However, it has a good effect if it is taken with a little liquid right at the beginning of a migraine with a still mild headache. In this way, the strength and duration of the migraine attacks can be influenced much better than is the case with an advanced migraine with correspondingly moderate or severe pain.

Medical application & use

Although there is still no complete explanation for the development of a migraine, almotriptan is a good choice for therapy. The fact that the active ingredient is well tolerated is another convincing argument in favor of prescribing this drug.

Migraine attacks rarely occur once in those affected, but should be viewed as recurring companions. Migraine attacks often occur unexpectedly with serious consequences in private and professional life. As an acute medication, almotriptan is therefore an effective aid. However, it cannot be used to prevent it.

If a migraine attack occurs, Almotriptan should be taken immediately. It was specially developed to have a targeted effect on the meningeal blood vessels. There it inhibits ongoing inflammatory processes and constricts the widened blood vessels responsible for the pain in a migraine. Knowing about the reliable and rapid action of almotriptan means additional relief for the sick.

Almotriptan owes its nickname "all-rounder" to its extraordinary therapeutic success. In a survey, around two thirds of the people stated a significant reduction in pain within the next 2 hours after ingestion. Around a third of those questioned even stated that they were completely free of pain.

The first pain relief can be felt after around 30 minutes. In addition, the effect of almotriptan does not diminish in the long term and so-called recurring headaches occurred significantly less frequently in patients with 18-27% under medication with almotriptan than with treatments with alternative medications.

Risks & side effects

As helpful as Almotriptan is for most migraineurs, it must not be taken if you are hypersensitive to the active ingredient or if you have certain diseases.

There are contraindications for severe liver dysfunction and for certain cardiovascular and vascular diseases. For this purpose, it must not be used together with ergotamine and ergotamine derivatives or other 5-HT1B / 1D agonists (triptans), as this easily increases the effectiveness.

Taking almotriptan may cause tiredness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting. Other side effects that may occur are: headache, ringing in the ears, dry mouth, tightness in the throat, diarrhea, weakness, muscle and bone pain, chest pain, paresthesia and palpitations.