<!-- Definition and medical uses -->
Rizatriptan, sold under the brand name Maxalt among others, is a medication used for the treatment of migraine headaches. It can also be applied on the tongue. It is available as a generic medication. In 2023, it was the 208th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2million prescriptions. Rizatriptan is available in combination with meloxicam as meloxicam/rizatriptan.
Medical uses
Rizatriptan is indicated to treat acute migraine attacks with or without aura. A 2010 review found rizatriptan to be more efficacious and tolerable than sumatriptan.
Contraindications
Rizatriptan and other triptans can cause vasoconstriction, they are contraindicated in people with cardiovascular conditions.
Interactions
Rizatriptan has an important but complex interaction with a metabolite of the beta blocker propranolol. This interaction involves the enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A).<br />
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Rizatriptan acts as an agonist at serotonin 5-HT<sub>1B</sub> and 5-HT<sub>1D</sub> receptors. Like the other triptans sumatriptan and zolmitriptan, rizatriptan induces vasoconstriction—possibly by inhibiting the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide from sensory neurons in the trigeminal nerve.
History
Rizatriptan was patented in 1991 and was introduced for medical use in 1998.