Almotriptan gegen Migräne

About almotriptan

In people with Migräne, it is thought that some chemicals in the brain increase in activity and as a result parts of the brain then send out confused signals which result in the symptoms of headache and sickness. Why people with migraine should develop these chemical changes is not clear, but for some people there may be things which trigger an attack, like certain foods or drinks.

Almotriptan belongs to a class of medicines known as 5HT₁-receptor agonists. They are also known simply as triptans. Triptans work by stimulating the receptors of a natural substance in the brain called serotonin (also called 5HT). This eases the symptoms of a migraine attack.

Almotriptan is effective in relieving migraine attacks once an attack has started, but it does not help prevent headaches or migraine attacks from starting.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking almotriptan it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie älter als 65 Jahre oder jünger als 18 Jahre sind.

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind oder stillen.

• If you have a heart condition, angina, or if you have ever had a heart attack.

• Wenn Sie hohen Blutdruck haben.

• If you have circulation problems caused by a condition called peripheral arterial disease.

• If you have ever had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (also referred to as a TIA or a 'mini-stroke').

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktion Ihrer Leber haben oder wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktion Ihrer Nieren haben.

• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine. It is particularly important that you tell your doctor if you have ever had a bad reaction to a sulfonamide medicine used to treat an infection.

• Wenn Sie andere Medikamente einnehmen oder verwenden. Dazu gehören alle Medikamente, die Sie einnehmen und die ohne Rezept erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Medikamente.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about almotriptan, and will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take almotriptan exactly as your doctor tells you to. Take one tablet as soon as the headache phase develops. If your migraine at first improves but then comes back, you may take a second tablet, providing it is at least zwei Stunden after the initial dose. Do not take more than two tablets in 24 hours. If the first tablet has no effect, do not take a second dose for the same attack, as it is unlikely to work.

• Swallow the tablet with a drink of water. You can take almotriptan whether or not you have recently eaten.

• Almotriptan is used to treat headache pain during a migraine attack, not to stop the pain from coming on. You should wait until the headache (pain) is just beginning to develop, rather than taking it at the aura stage or when you feel that a migraine may be developing. Triptans probably work much less well if taken too early on in an attack.

• Some people may benefit from taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkiller (such as naproxen) in addition to almotriptan. Your doctor will advise you about this if it is recommended for you. Do not take migraine treatments such as other triptans or ergotamine at the same time as almotriptan.

• If you find that almotriptan does not relieve your migraine, make an appointment to discuss this with your doctor, as a different triptan medicine may be more effective for you.

• Es kann hilfreich sein, ein Migräne-Tagebuch zu führen. Notieren Sie, wann und wo jeder Migräneanfall begonnen hat, was Sie gerade getan haben und was Sie an diesem Tag gegessen haben. Es könnte ein Muster erkennbar sein, und es ist möglicherweise möglich, einige der Auslöser Ihrer Migräneanfälle zu vermeiden.

• Almotriptan is used to treat migraine attacks once the pain has started, but there are other medicines available that may help to reduce the number of migraine attacks. If you have migraines frequently, discuss this with your doctor.

• Some people who get frequent migraine attacks are in fact getting medication-induced headache. Medication-induced headache (also called medication-overuse headache) is caused by taking painkillers or triptans too often. If you use almotriptan or painkillers on more than two days a week on a regular basis, you may be at risk of this. You should talk with your doctor if you suspect it.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with almotriptan. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome bemerken, die Ihrer Meinung nach auf die Tabletten zurückzuführen sein könnten, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker für weitere Ratschläge.

• Bewahren Sie alle Medikamente außerhalb der Reichweite und Sicht von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, fern von direkter Hitze und Licht.