Rizatriptan Benzoate: Uses, Side Effects & Warnings

Rizatriptan benzoate is a medication that is used for the treatment of migraine headaches and it can be used before the migraine headaches start. Rizatriptan benzoate is sold under the brand names Maxalt and Maxalt-MLT. In 1991, it was patented and in 1998, it came into medical use. 

What is Rizatriptan benzoate used for?

Rizatriptan benzoate is mostly used to treat migraine headaches like headache, pain, and other migraine symptoms. Rizatriptan benzoate also affects some of the natural substances (serotonin). It is a class of drug known as triptans and by affecting certain nerves in the brain it may give relief from pain. And it does not prevent future migraine attacks or reduce the number of headaches you have.

How to take Rizatriptan benzoate?

You can buy Rizatriptan benzoate in a tablet form and an orally disintegrating tablet to take by mouth. Most people take this tablet at the first sign of a migraine headache. In case, if your symptoms have improved after taking the first tablet and they come again within 2 hours or longer, you may have to take another tablet. 

And if your symptoms don’t improve then we suggest you don’t take a second tablet without consulting your doctor or pharmacists. Your doctor or pharmacists will tell you about the time period of taking tablets. Don’t try to take the extra dosage for more and faster improvements, it could be harmful to you like the Cisapride medication.

You can take Rizatriptan benzoate medicine with food or without food. It totally depends upon you, if you are taking Rizatriptan benzoate without food then it may work faster. Its dosage depends upon your medical condition, age, response to treatment, and for children depends upon weight. If you are taking any prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products then tell about these products your doctor and pharmacist.

For the adults, the United States manufacturer of this product prescribes, the maximum dose is 30 mg in a 24-hour and the Canadian manufacturer of this product prescribes, the maximum dose is 20 mg in a 24-hour. 

This can’t be used more than 10 days a month for migraine attacks, because the drugs may actually make your headaches worse. Don’t use this medication for a longer time than directed and if you need to use this or if this is not working on you then tell your doctor and pharmacist.

How does Rizatriptan benzoate work?

We know that Rizatriptan benzoate is a migraine headaches medicine. It works in our body to narrow the blood vessels around the brain to give relief from headaches. It reduces the substances that could trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms in our body. And the most important thing it only works on a headache that has already begun and it doesn’t prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks.

Don’t try to use it to treat a common tension headache or a headache because it can be harmful and will cause loss of movement on one side of your body. If your doctor or pharmacist has confirmed that you are in that state in which you can use this medication for migraine headaches.

There are some more purposes not mentioned in the list for which Rizatriptan benzoate is used by the doctor or other people.

Other uses for this medicine

Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or your health care professional for more information about the other uses of Rizatriptan benzoate medication.

Warnings of using Rizatriptan benzoate medication

If you have any medical history of a heart attack or stroke, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart problems, or circulation problems then don’t try to take Rizatriptan benzoate medication within 24 hours before or after using other migraine medicine.

If in the past 14 days, you have used an MAO inhibitor (such as rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine).then also don’t use this medicine.

What special dietary plans could I take?

Always follow your doctor or health care professional instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity. Or if your doctor or health care professional didn’t give you any instructions then continue your normal diet or you can ask him/ her about what special dietary instructions you should have followed.

What happens if I overdose? 

If in case a person has collapsed, has difficulty in breathing, or can’t be awakened because of the overdose of the medicine then try to call the emergency service number, and you can contact the call poison control department. 

There are some symptoms that show you are taking overdoses of Rizatriptan benzoate medication:

  • You’ll feel a headache.
  • You’ll start facing problems in breathing.
  • You’ll lose drowsiness.
  • You’ll feel your heartbeat speed fast, or irregularly.
  • You’ll feel dizziness or faintness.
  • You’ll feel vomiting.
  • You’ll feel some other symptoms like tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in the chest, throat, neck, and/or jaw

What are the side effects of Rizatriptan benzoate?

People that are using Rizatriptan benzoate medication have some serious side effects because this medication only uses serious side effects. Don’t use this medication without your doctor’s prescription, Doctors will suggest this medication by judging the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. If you have any irritation, burning, or stinging, then firstly stop using it and talk to your doctor.

If you are facing any of these most common side effects after taking the Rizatriptan benzoate then contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Some side effects of Rizatriptan benzoate:

  • Furious stomach 
  • Spewing 
  • Sleepiness 
  • Flushing (sensation of warmth) 
  • Dry mouth 
  • The runs 
  • Muscle agony or spasms 
  • Sluggishness 
  • Wooziness 
  • Quakes

Some serious side effects of Rizatriptan benzoate:

  • You’ll feel slow or difficult speech
  • You’ll feel weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
  • You’ll feel sudden or severe stomach pain
  • You’ll feel bloody diarrhea
  • You’ll feel paleness or blue color of the fingers and toes
  • You’ll feel pain, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet
  • You’ll feel tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in the chest, throat, neck, or jaw
  • You’ll feel rapid, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
  • You’ll feel difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • You’ll feel swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
  • You’ll feel rash, itching
  • You’ll feel changes in vision
  • You’ll feel shortness of breath
  • You’ll feel breaking out in a cold sweat
  • You’ll feel lightheadedness  

How other drugs will interact to Rizatriptan benzoate?

If you are taking any drugs like sumatriptan, or zolmitriptan and any ergotamine medication then don’t take rizatriptan benzoate medicine dose within 24 hours after the 24 hours you can take this medicine.

If you want the best care through your doctor or pharmacists then tell all the things and products you are using like prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products before starting the treatment with this medication. When you are using Rizatriptan benzoate medicine then make sure that you do not change the dosage of any other medicines that you are using without your doctor’s approval.

In case, if you are taking any of the drugs that can increase your serotonin and this can occur the risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases. Some examples of street drugs MDMA/”ecstasy,” St. John’s wort, fluoxetine/paroxetine, duloxetine/venlafaxine. If you increase or start the doses of these drugs then it can also occur the risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases.

The risk for serious side effects can increase because of Drug interaction with or it changes the working property of the medicines. This doesn’t contain all the possible drug interactions, It is very important to tell your pharmacist about all your prescriptions, nonprescription, drugs, and herbal products you were taking and make a list of them and carry the list all time. And in case of emergencies, it would help you. 

Some of most common the products that can interact with this drug are:

  • Isocarboxazid
  • Linezolid
  • Methylene blue
  • Moclobemide
  • Phenelzine

What special precautions could I take?

Some special precaution of rizatriptan benzoate medicine you should have followed before using this medication:

  • If you have any allergic issues to rizatriptan, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in rizatriptan tablets or orally disintegrating tablets then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
  • If in the past 24 hours you have taken any medicine such as naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan then tells your doctor and pharmacist and don’t try to take rizatriptan benzoate.
  • If you have taken a monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor such as phenelzine (Parnate), or tranylcypromine (Nardil) in the past 2 weeks or you are taking them right now then tell your doctor and pharmacist and don’t try to take rizatriptan benzoate
  • If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications especially other vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products, or planning to take then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
  • If you have any medical history of a heart attack or stroke, uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart problems, or circulation problems then don’t try to take rizatriptan benzoate medication and tell your doctor and pharmacist.
  • If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant and using the rizatriptan benzoate. Ask your doctor about effective methods of birth control, if you are sexually active while you are taking this medication and if you become pregnant tell your doctor and pharmacist while you are taking this medicine.
  • Don’t drive while you are taking this medicine or drug until you don’t know how this will affect you because you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. 

What Should I do if I forget a dose?

In case you forgot to take the medicine and if it is near the time of your next dose then we suggest you please skip that dose and take it at the next dose at the regular time. Don’t take the dose at irregular times. It makes your dose double and it would be harmful to you. 

How should you store and dispose of this medication?

You should have disposed of all the medication that is unneeded in a special way to ensure that children, pets, and other people can’t consume them. You can not flush them or pour them into the drain. You can return them to the pharmacist or the best way is that you can take back the program for returning your medicines.

Store this medication at room temperature and keep them away from the light or excessive heat and moisture. And put them away from the reach of the pets and children, we suggest you put them in a tightly closed container in which they came. Ensure that the liquid form of this product doesn’t freeze and try to protect it from the light also.

What other information should I know?

It is very important to tell your pharmacist about all your prescriptions and non-prescription you were taking and make a list of them and carry the list all time. It would help you in case of emergencies. When you meet or visit your doctor you should bring the list. It’s important to your doctor.

Don’t miss any of your doctor and laboratory appointments because your doctor will check the response of this medicine then he/she will tell you the update or other pieces of information.

And ensure that no one is taking your medicine or no one has them. And whenever you meet your pharmacist or doctor ask them any of the questions you have about refilling your prescription.


Hope you find this article useful. Please tell us about your experience by this blog in the comment section and keep visiting for further pieces of information.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *