MAXALT MELT 10 mg Oral Lyophilisate
(rizatriptan)
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine,
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
- If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What MAXALT MELT is and what it is used for
2. Before you take MAXALT MELT
3. How to take MAXALT MELT
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store MAXALT MELT
6. Further information
What Maxalt Melt Is And What It Is Used For
MAXALT MELT belongs to a class of medicines called selective serotonin 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonists.
Your doctor has prescribed MAXALT MELT to treat the headache phase of your migraine attack.
Treatment with MAXALT MELT:
Reduces swelling of blood vessels surrounding the brain. This swelling results in the headache pain of a migraine attack.
Before You Take Maxalt Melt
Do not take MAXALT MELT if:
- you are allergic (hypersensitive) to rizatriptan benzoate or any of the other ingredients of MAXALT MELT
- you have moderately severe or severe high blood pressure, or mild high blood pressure that is not controlled by medication
- you have or have ever had heart problems including heart attack or pain on the chest (angina) or you have experienced heart disease related signs
- you have severe liver or severe kidney problems
- you have had a stroke (cerebrovascular accident CVA) or mini stroke (transient ischaemic attack TIA)
- you have blockage problems with your arteries (peripheral vascular disease)
- you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors such as moclobemide, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, or pargyline (drugs against depression), or linezolid (an antibiotic), or if it has been less than two weeks since you stopped taking MAO inhibitors
- you are now taking ergotamine-type medications, such as ergotamine or dihydro-ergotamine to treat your migraine or methysergide to prevent a migraine attack
- you are taking any other drug in the same class, such as sumatriptan, naratriptan or zolmitriptan to treat your migraine. (See Taking with other medicines below)
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking MAXALT MELT.
Take special care with MAXALT MELT if you:
Before you take MAXALT MELT, tell your doctor or pharmacist, if:
- you have any of the following risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, diabetes, you smoke or you are using nicotine substitution, your family has a history of heart disease, you are a man over 40 years of age, or you are a post-menopausal woman
- you have kidney or liver problems
- you have a particular problem with the way your heart beats (bundle branch block)
- you have or have had any allergies.
- your headache is associated with dizziness, difficulty in walking, lack of co-ordination or weakness in the leg and arm
- you use herbal preparation containing St. John's wort
- you have had allergic reaction like swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat which may cause difficulty breathing and/or swallowing (angioedema).
- you are taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline, escitalopram oxalate, and fluoxetine or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine, and duloxetine for depression.
- you have had short lived symptoms including chest pain and tightness.
If you take MAXALT MELT too often this may result in you getting a chronic headache. In such cases you should contact your doctor as you may have to stop taking MAXALT MELT.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist about your symptoms. Your doctor will decide if you have migraine. You should take MAXALT MELT only for a migraine attack. MAXALT MELT should not be used to treat headaches that might be caused by other, more serious conditions.
Please tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken or plan to take, any other medicines including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes herbal medicines and those you normally take for a migraine. This is because MAXALT MELT can affect the way some medicines work. Also other medicines can affect MAXALT MELT.
Taking with other medicines
Do not take MAXALT MELT:
- if you are already taking a 5HT1B/1D agonist (sometimes referred to as ‘triptans’), such as sumatriptan, naratriptan or zolmitriptan.
- if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as moclobemide, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, linezolid, or pargyline or if it has been less than two weeks since you stopped taking an MAO inhibitor.
- if you use ergotamine-type medications such as ergotamine or dihydro-ergotamine to treat your migraine
- if you use methysergide to prevent a migraine attack.
The above listed medicines when taken with MAXALT MELT may increase the risk of side effects.
You should wait at least 6 hours after taking MAXALT MELT before you take ergotamine-type medications such as ergotamine or dihydro-ergotamine or methysergide.
You should wait at least 24 hours after taking ergotamine-type medications before taking MAXALT MELT.
Ask your doctor for instructions and the risks about taking MAXALT MELT
- if you are taking propranolol (see section 3: How to take MAXALT MELT)
- if you are taking SSRIs such as sertraline, escitalopram oxalate, and fluoxetine or SNRIs such as venlafaxine, and duloxetine for depression.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
Taking MAXALT MELT with food and drink:
MAXALT MELT can take longer to work if it is taken after food. Although it is better to take it on an empty stomach, you can still take it if you have eaten.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
It is not known whether MAXALT MELT is harmful to an unborn baby when taken by a pregnant woman.
Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should be avoided for 24 hours after treatment.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Use in children
There is no experience with the use of MAXALT MELT in children under 18 years of age, therefore children should not be given MAXALT MELT.
Use in patients older than 65 years
There have been no full studies to look at how safe and effective MAXALT MELT is amongst patients older than 65 years.
Driving or using machines
You may feel sleepy or dizzy while taking MAXALT MELT. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of MAXALT MELT
Phenylketonuric patients: Contains a source of phenylalanine. May be harmful for people with phenylketonuria. Each MAXALT MELT wafer contains 3.75 mg aspartame (which contains phenylalanine).
How To Take Maxalt Melt
MAXALT MELT is used to treat migraine attacks. Take MAXALT MELT as soon as possible after your migraine headache has started. Do not use it to prevent an attack.
Always take MAXALT MELT exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or your pharmacist if you are not sure.
The usual dose is 10 mg.
If you are currently taking propranolol or have kidney or liver problems you should use a 5-mg dose of MAXALT. You should leave at least 2 hours between taking propranolol and MAXALT MELT up to a maximum of 2 doses in a 24-hour period.
MAXALT MELT (rizatriptan benzoate) is available as 10-mg wafer (referred to technically as an oral lyophilisate) that dissolves in the mouth.
- Open the MAXALT MELT wafer blister pack with dry hands.
- The wafer should be placed on your tongue, where it dissolves and can be swallowed with the saliva.
- The wafer can be used in situations in which liquids are not available, or to avoid the nausea and vomiting that may accompany the ingestion of tablets with liquids.
MAXALT MELT is also available as a tablet to be taken with liquids.
If migraine returns within 24 hours
In some patients, migraine symptoms can return within a 24-hour period. If your migraine does return you can take an additional dose of MAXALT MELT. You should always wait at least 2 hours between doses.
If after 2 hours you still have a migraine
If you do not respond to the first dose of MAXALT MELT during an attack, you should not take a second dose of MAXALT MELT for treatment of the same attack. It is still likely, however, that you will respond to MAXALT MELT during the next attack.
Do not take more than 2 doses of MAXALT MELT in a 24-hour period, (for example, do not take more than two 10-mg wafers or more than two 10 mg or 5 mg tablets in a 24-hour period). You should always wait at least 2 hours between doses.
If your condition worsens, seek medical attention.
If you take more MAXALT MELT than you should:
If you take more MAXALT MELT than you should, talk to your doctor or pharmacist straight away. Take the medicine pack with you.
Signs of overdosage can include dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, fainting and slow heart rate.
If you have further questions on the use of this product ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Possible Side Effects
Like all medicines, MAXALT MELT can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects may happen with this medicine.
In studies, the most common side effects reported were dizziness, sleepiness and tiredness.
Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people)
- tingling (paraesthesia), headache, decreased sensitivity of skin (hypaesthesia), decreased mental sharpness, tremor,
- fast or irregular heart beat (palpitation), very fast heartbeat (tachycardia),
- flushing (redness of the face lasting a short time), hot flushes, sweating,
- throat discomfort, difficulty breathing (dyspnoea),
- feeling sick (nausea), dry mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea,
- feeling of heaviness in parts of the body,
- pain in abdomen or chest
Uncommon (affects less than 1 in 100 people)
- unsteadiness when walking (ataxia), dizziness (vertigo), blurred vision,
- confusion, insomnia, nervousness,
- high blood pressure (hypertension); thirst, indigestion (dyspepsia),
- itching and lumpy rash (hives),
- neck pain, feeling of tightness in parts of the body, stiffness, muscle weakness
Rare (affects less than 1 in 1000 people)
- bad taste in your mouth,
- fainting (syncope), a syndrome called "serotonin syndrome" that may cause side effects like coma, unstable blood pressure, extremely high body temperature, lack of muscle co-ordination, agitation, and hallucinations
- facial pain, wheezing
- allergic reaction like swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat which may cause difficulty breathing and/or swallowing (angioedema); rash, severe shedding of the skin including accompanied by fever (toxic epidermal necrolysis)
- heart attack, spasm of blood vessels of the heart, stroke. They generally occur in patients with risk factors for heart and blood vessel disease (high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, use of nicotine substitution, family history of heart disease or stroke, man over 40 years of age, post-menopausal women, particular problem with the way your heart beats [bundle branch block]).
Not known how often this occurs:
- seizure (convulsions/fits)
- spasm of blood vessels of the extremities including coldness and numbness of the hands or feet
Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of allergic reactions, serotonin syndrome, heart attack or stroke.
In addition, tell your doctor if you experience any symptoms that suggest an allergic reaction (such as a rash or itching) after taking MAXALT MELT.
If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
How To Store Maxalt Melt
Keep MAXALT MELT out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not use MAXALT MELT after the expiry date which is stated on the container after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
Do not store MAXALT MELT wafers above 30°C.
Do not remove the wafer blister from the outer aluminium sachet until you are ready to take the medicine inside.
Always keep the aluminium sachets in the carrying case.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
Further Information
What MAXALT MELT contains
The active substance of the MAXALT MELT is rizatriptan. One oral lyophilisate contains 10 mg rizatriptan as 14.53 mg of rizatriptan benzoate.
The other ingredients of MAXALT MELT wafers are: gelatin, mannitol (E421) glycine, aspartame (E951) and peppermint flavour (composed of peppermint oil, maltodextrin and dextrin).
What MAXALT MELT looks like and contents of pack
10 mg oral lyophilisates are white to off-white, round with a modified square on one side, with a peppermint flavour.
Pack sizes: Packs with 2, 3, 6, 12 or 18 oral lyophilisates.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Manufacturer
This medicinal product is authorised in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:
Maxalt Melt 10 mg Oral Lyophilisate
Austria, Finland, Sweden MAXALT RAPITAB
Belgium, Luxemburg MAXALT LYO 10 mg
Denmark MAXALT Smelt, smeltetabletter
France MAXALTLYO
Germany MAXALT lingua 10 mg Schmelztabletten
Greece MAXALT Rapid Sol. Tab.
Italy MAXALT RPD 10 mg liofilizzato orale
The Netherlands MAXALT SMELT
Portugal MAXALT RPD
Spain MAXALT MAX 10 mg
United Kingdom MAXALT MELT
This leaflet was revised in June 2010
How can you obtain more information about MAXALT MELT?
This leaflet gives you some of the most important information about MAXALT MELT. If you have any questions after you have read it, ask your doctor or pharmacist who can give you further information.
Further information about migraine is available from the following organisations:
info@migraine.org.uk
and
info@migrainetrust.org
(Migraine Action Association and The Migraine Trust are independent organisations and are not associated with Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited.)
denotes registered trademark of
Merck & Co., Inc.
© Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited 2010. All rights reserved.
PIL.MXTM.10.UK.3291 (IA-027/G)
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