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偏頭痛是一種很常見的疾病，容易和一般的頭痛搞混，在歐美各國醫療先進國家，治療偏頭痛triptan類藥物是主流，因為不同於一般的止痛藥，它是針對偏頭痛的病因 serotonin 受器設計的。
而Imigran(Sumatriptan)是tripan類中最早被用在治療偏頭痛的藥品，Imigran的作用機轉是一種選擇性血管5-hydroxytrytamine-1-(5-HT1D) 接受體作用劑，對其他亞型的5-HT 接受體(5-HT2-7)沒有影響。附註：血管的5-HT1D 接受體主要分佈於腦部血管，促成血管收縮。
實驗發現sumatriptan選擇性地對頸動脈循環造成收縮作用，但並含改變腦部血流。一般認為這些血管的舒張及是造成人偏頭痛的主要機轉。此外，sumatriptan也會抑制三叉神經的神經活性，減少神經血管的發炎反應、以緩解疼痛。這兩種作用可能是促成sumatriptan 在人體抗偏頭痛作用的原因。
Sumatriptan的作用時間可維持四小時，半衰期兩小時。主要由肝臟代謝，不建議哺乳時候服用此藥。
Sumatriptan只適合作為急性發作期之症狀解除，千萬不可用來預防偏頭痛的使用；對於有心血管疾病患者也不宜使用。由於Sumatriptan 可能造成暫時性的血壓升高或末稍血流阻力增加。
如果處方Imigran時，千萬不可並用Ergotamine類的藥品，因為Ergotamine會導致長時間的血管痙攣反應。如果併用這兩種藥品時，這些作用可能有加成性。因此給予任何含有Ergotamine的製劑之後，至少要經過24 小時才能再給予Sumatriptan。反之，如果服用Sumatriptan 之後，至少要經過6小時才能再給予任何含有Ergotamine 的製劑。
Imigran的配合禁忌也不少，和SSRIs並用時，如prozac。還有和MAOI也不建議並用。
Imigran的副作用也不少，最常見的是造成頭胸部的熱和刺麻感，如果病患有心血管疾病、更容易造成心律不整等副作用。也容易引起暈眩、無力感、疲倦。也有13-25%的病患會引起味覺改變的副作用。
目前因為健保的限制，Imigran一個月最多只能用400mg。根據健保局的看法是怕拖垮健保，實際上相對於許多COX-2 inhibitor的NSAID，Imigran並不太貴，所以為了自己的身體著想，還是自費購買不用看健保局臉色，畢竟別人的痛是最不痛的。
Sumatriptan Succinate
英文商品名：Imigran
中文商品名：英明格
醫師為何開此藥？
有先兆或無先兆偏頭痛發作之急性緩解，僅適用於有明確診斷之偏頭痛。
如何使用此藥？
請依醫師指示使用，並不可作預防性使用。
偏頭痛發作時立即服用，錠劑整顆以水吞服，通常只需一次劑量，如症狀未緩解，每隔兩小時服用一顆，但24小時內不可以服用超過200毫克(4顆)。
使用此藥時該注意什麼？
曾對磺胺類藥物或本品過敏者，請先告知醫師。
停經後婦女、高血壓、心絞痛（復發性胸痛）、心血管疾病、糖尿病、癲癇、高膽固醇症、肥胖症、腎或肝病等病史者，請先告知醫師。
本藥可能引起疲倦或嗜睡，開車或操作危險機械時請小心。
請將本劑連同藥袋放置於室溫之陰涼乾燥處避光儲存，請勿放在孩童可以取得的場所。
服用此藥期間如需服用其它藥品時（尤其是麥角類藥品、單胺氧化酵素抑制劑MAOIs等），請主動告訴您的醫師或藥師。
此藥品可能引起的副作用及處理方式：
副作用通常是暫時性的，但有時會非常強烈，若症狀嚴重或持續時，請告知醫師，如：刺痛感、發熱、疲倦、潮紅、眩暈、無力感、噁心嘔吐等。
若產生下列副作用請儘速就醫：胸部或頸部疼痛、心跳變快、哮喘、眼皮、臉或唇紅腫或癢、皮膚起疹、腫塊、視力改變等。
忘記服藥時該怎麼辦？
此藥品為需要時服用，因此頭痛緩解即可不需再使用。
懷孕或哺乳時該怎麼辦？
如果您準備懷孕或已懷孕，應告知並與您的醫師討論；不建議於授乳期間使用本品，最好能改用其它的乳製品以取代母乳。
Imitrex: Headache and Migraine Drug Profiles
Triptans: Imitrex / Imigran (sumatriptan)
Type of medication: Rx Migraine abortive. Also prescribed for cluster headaches.
How supplied: 25mg, 50mg, 100mg tablets, 5mg and 20mg nasal spray for adults, 10mg nasal spray for ages 11-17 (available in the UK at this time), StatDOSE Pen injector, and single-dose vials for injection.
Precautions:
Sumatriptan is generally not prescribed under these conditions:
presence or risk factors for coronary artery disease uncontrolled hypertension basilar or hemiplegic Migraines Do NOT take Imitrex within 24 hours of taking any other triptan unless specifically told to do so by your doctor.
Do NOT take Imitrex within 24 hours of taking any ergotamine medication such as DHE or Migranal.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:
FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether this drug will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk. Do not take without talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Other medical conditions:
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of sumatriptan. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially those listed below. Heart or blood vessel disease and high blood pressure sometimes do not cause any symptoms, so some people do not know that they have these problems. Before deciding whether you should use sumatriptan, your doctor may need to do some tests to make sure that you do not have any of these conditions.
angina, heart or blood vessel disease
fast or irregular heart beat uncontrolled high blood pressure kidney disease liver disease stroke (history of)--The chance of side effects may be increased. basilar or hemiplegic Migraine
Other medications:
Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medications, especially other prescription medicine for Migraine or depression. Do not take sumatriptan if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) within the last 14 days. The combination could cause seizures, nausea, vomiting, sweating, flushing, and dizziness.
Do not take sumatriptan if you have taken any of the following medicines within the previous 24 hours:
ergot-based medications such as methysergide (Sansert), ergotamine (Ergostat), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E., Migranal Nasal Spray), and ergotamine combination products (Cafergot, Ercaf, Wigraine, Cafatine, Cafatine-PB, Cafetrate).
another triptan such as rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig), almotriptan (Axert), frovatriptan (Frova), or eletriptan (Relpax).
Potential side effects:
Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) severe or prolonged chest pain or an irregular heartbeat changes in skin color on face
Check with your doctor right away if any of the following side effects continue for more than 1 hour. Even if they go away in less than 1 hour, check with your doctor before using any more sumatriptan if any of the following side effects occur:
chest pain (mild) heaviness, tightness, or pressure in chest and/or neck difficulty in swallowing pounding heartbeat rash, hives, itching, or bumps on skin
Some of the following effects, such as nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, and general feeling of illness or tiredness, often occur during or after a migraine, even when sumatriptan has not been used. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
Burning, discharge, pain, and/or soreness in the nose burning, pain, or redness at place of injection change in sense of taste discomfort in jaw, mouth, tongue, throat, nose, or sinuses dizziness drowsiness; feeling of burning, warmth, heat, numbness, tightness, or tingling; feeling cold, "strange,'' or weak flushing
lightheadedness
muscle aches, cramps, or stiffness nausea or vomiting anxiety general feeling of illness or tiredness vision changes
Brand Names:
U.S.: Imitrex
Canada: Imitrex
U.K.: Imigran
Australia: Imigran | 
