Eletriptan Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 28, 2024.

Applies to eletriptan: oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it.

Check with your doctor if you used this medicine and your migraine did not go away, or if your migraine got worse or started occurring more often.

This medicine may cause problems if you have heart disease. If your doctor thinks you might have a problem with this medicine, he or she may want you to take your first dose in the doctor’s office or clinic.

This medicine may increase your risk of having abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, angina, or stroke. This is more likely to occur if you or a family member already has heart disease, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, if you smoke, if you are male and over 40 years of age, or if you are female and have gone through menopause. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of a heart problem, such as chest pain or discomfort, an uneven heartbeat, nausea or vomiting, pain or discomfort in the shoulders, arms, jaw, back, or neck, shortness of breath, or sweating. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of a stroke, such as confusion, difficulty with speaking, double vision, headaches, an inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles, an inability to speak, or slow speech.

You should not take this medicine if you have used other triptan or ergot-type migraine medicines within the past 24 hours. Some examples of triptan medicines are almotriptan (Axert®), frovatriptan (Frova®), naratriptan (Amerge®), rizatriptan (Maxalt®), sumatriptan (Imitrex®, Treximet®), or zolmitriptan (Zomig®). Some examples of ergot-type medicines are dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Bellergal®, Cafergot®, Ergomar®, Wigraine®), or methysergide (Sansert®).

Do not use this medicine if you have taken clarithromycin (Biaxin®), itraconazole (Sporanox®), ketoconazole (Nizoral®), nefazodone (Serzone®), nelfinavir (Viracept®), ritonavir (Norvir®, Kaletra®), or troleandomycin (Tao®) in the past 72 hours.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest discomfort, jaw or neck tightness after taking this medicine. Also, tell your doctor if you have sudden or severe abdominal or stomach pain or bloody diarrhea after using this medicine.

Make sure your doctor knows about all the other medicines you are using. Eletriptan may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome when taken with some medicines. This includes medicines to treat depression, such as citalopram (Celexa®), duloxetine (Cymbalta®), escitalopram (Lexapro®), fluoxetine (Prozac®, Sarafem®, Symbyax®), fluvoxamine (Luvox®), olanzapine (Zyprexa®), paroxetine (Paxil®), sertraline (Zoloft®), or venlafaxine (Effexor®). Check with your doctor right away if you have agitation, confusion, diarrhea, excitement while talking that is not normal, fever, overactive reflexes, poor coordination, restlessness, shivering, sweating, trembling or shaking that you cannot control, or twitching. These could be symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.

Using eletriptan alone or in combination with other migraine medicines for 10 or more days per month may lead to worsening of headache. You may keep a headache diary to record your headache frequency and drug use.

Check with your doctor right away if you have blurred vision, difficulty with reading, or any other change in vision while you are using this medicine. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

Some people feel drowsy or dizzy during or after a migraine, or after taking eletriptan to relieve a migraine. As long as you are feeling drowsy or dizzy, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Common side effects of eletriptan

Some side effects of eletriptan may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Serious side effects of eletriptan

Along with its needed effects, eletriptan may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking eletriptan:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to eletriptan: oral tablet.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported adverse events have included asthenia, nausea, dizziness, and somnolence.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Chest tightness/pain/pressure, palpitation
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypertension, peripheral vascular disorder, tachycardia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Angina pectoris, arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, AV block, bradycardia, hypotension, syncope, thrombophlebitis, vasospasm, shock
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Acute myocardial infarction, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, coronary artery vasospasm, transient myocardial ischemia
• Frequency not reported: Edema^[Ref]

Transient, dose-related increases in blood pressure (BP) have been observed, particularly in the elderly and among patients with renal impairment, and predominantly increases to diastolic BP. One patients with hepatic cirrhosis experienced a BP of 220/96 mmHg 5 hours after a receiving an 80 mg dose.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain/discomfort/stomach pain/cramps/pressure, dry mouth, dyspepsia, nausea
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dysphagia, throat tightness/difficulty swallowing, anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, eructation, esophagitis, flatulence, gastritis, gastrointestinal disorder, glossitis, increased salivation
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Enlarged abdomen, halitosis, gingivitis, hematemesis, stomatitis, tongue disorder, tongue edema, tooth disorder
• Postmarketing reports: Ischemic colitis, vomiting^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Paresthesia, dizziness, somnolence, headache, hypertonia, hyperesthesia, myasthenia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Ataxia, incoordination, speech disorder, stupor, tremor, taste perversion
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Abnormal gait, aphasia, dystonia, hemiplegia, hyperalgesia, hypokinesia, neuropathy, paralysis, twitching, parosmia
• Frequency not reported: Serotonin syndrome
• Postmarketing reports: Seizure, cerebrovascular accident^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Postmarketing reports: Allergic reactions including angioedema^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Goiter, thyroid adenoma, thyroiditis, breast pain^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Anemia, leukopenia, purpura, lymphadenopathy^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Thirst
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Increased appetite, weight gain, weight loss^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Pharyngitis, throat tightness
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Asthma, dyspnea, respiratory disorder, respiratory tract infection, rhinitis, voice alteration, yawn
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Bronchitis, choking sensation, increased cough, epistaxis, hyperventilation, laryngitis, sinusitis, increased sputum^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Sweating
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Face edema, pruritus, rash, skin disorder
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Alopecia, dry skin, eczema, exfoliative dermatitis, maculopapular rash, psoriasis, skin discoloration, skin hypertrophy, urticaria^[Ref]

Ocular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal vision, conjunctivitis, eye pain, lacrimation disorder, photophobia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Oculogyric crisis, dry eyes, eye hemorrhage, ptosis, diplopia, abnormality of accommodation^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, flushing/feeling of warmth, chills, malaise, vertigo
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Ear pain, tinnitus
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Fever, hypothermia, otitis media^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Impotence, polyuria, urinary frequency, urinary tract disorder
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Menstrual disorder, menorrhagia, vaginitis^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal dreams, agitation, anxiety, apathy, depersonalization, depression, emotional lability euphoria, insomnia, nervousness
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Amnesia, catatonic reaction, hallucinations, manic reaction, hysteria, neurosis, psychotic depression, sleep disorder^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Eletriptan side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer