Zecuity FDA Alerts
The FDA Alerts below may be specifically about Zecuity or relate to a group or class of drugs which include Zecuity.
MedWatch Safety Alerts are distributed by the FDA and published by Drugs.com. Following is a list of possible medication recalls, market withdrawals, alerts and warnings.
Recent FDA Alerts for Zecuity
Zecuity (sumatriptan) Migraine Patch: Drug Safety Communication - FDA Evaluating Risk of Burns and Scars
ISSUE: FDA is investigating the risk of serious burns and potential permanent scarring with the use of Zecuity (sumatriptan iontophoretic transdermal system) patch for migraine headaches. Since marketing of the Zecuity patch began in September 2015, a large number of patients have reported they experienced burns or scars on the skin where the patch was worn. The reports included descriptions of severe redness, pain, skin discoloration, blistering, and cracked skin. As a result, FDA is investigating these serious adverse events to determine whether future regulatory action is needed, and will update the public with new information when the FDA review is complete.
BACKGROUND: The Zecuity patch contains the active ingredient sumatriptan, a prescription medicine used to treat acute migraine headaches in adults. The patch delivery system is designed to deliver a dose of medicine by way of a single-use, battery-powered patch that is wrapped around the upper arm or thigh. It should remain in place for no longer than four hours.
RECOMMENDATION: Patients who experience moderate to severe pain at the Zecuity patch site should immediately remove it to avoid possible burns or scarring, regardless of how long the patch has been worn, and contact your health care professional. Do not bathe, shower, or swim while wearing the patch. Read the Patient Information leaflet and the Instructions for Use section in the drug label, and talk with your health care professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Health care professionals should advise patients who complain of moderate to severe pain at the application site to remove the Zecuity patch immediately. Consider a different formulation of sumatriptan or switch these patients to an alternative migraine medicine. Evaluate patients and the application site as needed.
Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of this product to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- Complete and submit the report Online: www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm
- Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178
[06/02/2016 - Drug Safety Communication - FDA]
5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor Agonists (Triptans) - Serotonin Syndrome
[Posted 07/19/2006] FDA notified healthcare professionals and consumers of new safety information regarding taking medications used to treat migraine headaches (triptans) together with certain types of antidepressant and mood disorder medications (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). A life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome may occur when triptans are used together with a SSRI or a SNRI.Serotonin syndrome occurs when the body has too much of a chemical found in the nervous system (serotonin). Each of the above medications (triptans, SSRIs, and SNRIs), cause an increase in serotonin levels. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include restlessness, hallucinations, loss of coordination, fast heart beat, rapid changes in blood pressure, increased body temperature, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Healthcare professionals prescribing a triptan, SSRI or SNRI should keep in mind that triptans are often used intermittently and either the triptan, SSRI or SNRI may be prescribed by a different physician; weigh the potential risk of serotonin syndrome with the expected benefit of using the above combination; discuss the possibility of serotonin syndrome with patients if a triptan and an SSRI or SNRI will be used together; and follow patients closely during treatment if a triptan and an SSRI or SNRI are used together.
Patients taking a triptan along with an SSRI or SNRI should talk to their doctor before stopping their medication and should immediately seek medical attention if they experience any of the above symptoms. FDA requested that all manufacturers of triptans, SSRIs and SNRIs update their prescribing information to warn of the possibility of serotonin syndrome when these medications are taken together.
[July 19, 2006]