Triptans: Summary of affordable alternatives
Triptans are effective medicines used to treat migraine headaches. For about 60% of people who take one, a triptan reduces pain within two hours. While complete pain relief is not common, it can be enhanced if you take a triptan early in a migraine attack. The triptans also help relieve other migraine symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and motion.
If you have mild and less frequent migraine attacks, try other pain relievers first, including aspirin, an NSAID (such as ibuprofen), Excedrin Migraine or Excedrin Extra Strength. If your migraines are moderate to severe, frequent, and/or disrupt your life, you are likely to need a triptan.
However, the triptans should not be taken by people with certain conditions because of risks they pose to the heart. This includes people with coronary artery disease or angina (chest pain), those who have had a heart attack or stroke, and people who have peripheral vascular disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, or who smoke.
In addition, the triptans should be prescribed with caution for men over 40, women over 50, people who have high cholesterol, diabetes, or who are significantly overweight and those with a family history of early heart disease or stroke.
There are seven triptans and they differ in their effectiveness and the side effects they cause. They are expensive drugs (with none yet available as a generic) and tend to be priced about the same on a per pill basis ($21–$26). The nasal spray and injectable forms cost more. We have chosen three triptans as Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs:
- Sumatriptan (Imitrex) — for people with moderate to severe headache pain and symptoms
- Rizatriptan (Maxalt) — for people with moderate to severe headache pain and symptoms
- Naratriptan (Amerge) — for people with milder migraines who are sensitive to triptan side effects and/or have longer–duration migraines
Each of these three drugs have unique strengths which are discussed in detail in our full report. They are chosen Best Buys largely on their clinical merits, and not their cost. The cost for triptan treatment depends entirely on how often you have to use one, since triptans are only taken when a migraine occurs. Frequent use can be expensive.
Triptans: Cost Comparison and Best Buy Drugs
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- 2-Page summary (103k PDF)
| Recommendations: Triptans | |||||||
| CR Best Buy | Triptans Costs | ||||||
| Generic Name and Dose | Brand Name | Maximum Allowed Dose Per 24 hours | Price Per Dose1 | Average Monthly Cost1 (If two migraines a month and take one pill or dose per attack) |
Average Monthly Cost1 (If two migraines a month and take maximum allowed per attack, over 24 hours) |
Compare Prices |
|
| Almotriptan tablet 6.25mg | Axert | 12.5mg | $25 | $51 | $101 |  |
|
| Almotriptan tablet 12.5mg | Axert | 12.5mg | $24 | $48 | $48 | |
|
| Eletriptan tablet 20mg | Relpax | 80mg | $25 | $50 | $199 | |
|
| Eletriptan tablet 40mg | Relpax | 80mg | $25 | $49 | $99 | |
|
| Frovatriptan tablet 2.5mg | Frova | 7.5mg | $26 | $52 | $156 | |
|
 |
Naratriptan tablet 1mg | Amerge | 5.0mg | $27 | $55 | $275 | |
|
Naratriptan tablet 2.5mg | Amerge | 5.0mg | $27 | $53 | $107 | |
|
Rizatriptan tablet 5mg | Maxalt | 30mg | $26 | $51 | $306 | |
|
Rizatriptan tablet 10mg | Maxalt | 30mg | $25 | $51 | $152 | |
|
Rizatriptan dissolvable tablet 5mg | Maxalt MLT | 30mg | $25 | $49 | $297 | |
|
Rizatriptan dissolvable tablet 10mg | Maxalt MLT | 30mg | $25 | $49 | $147 | |
|
Sumatriptan nasal 5mg | Imitrex | 40mg | $33 | $66 | $528 | |
|
Sumatriptan nasal 20mg | Imitrex | 40mg | $32 | $64 | $128 | |
|
Sumatriptan tablet 25mg | Imitrex | 200mg | $28 | $57 | $453 | |
|
Sumatriptan tablet 50mg | Imitrex | 200mg | $25 | $50 | $200 | |
|
Sumatriptan tablet 100mg | Imitrex | 200mg | $25 | $51 | $101 | |
|
Sumatriptan injectables 6mg | Imitrex | 6mg | $792 | $158 | $158 | |
| Zolmitriptan tablet 2.5mg | Zomig | 10mg | $24 | $48 | $193 | |
|
| Zolmitriptan tablet 5mg | Zomig | 10mg | $25 | $50 | $100 | |
|
| Zolmitriptan dissolvable tablet 2.5mg | Zomig ZMT | 10mg | $23 | $46 | $184 | |
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| Zolmitriptan dissolvable tablet 5mg | Zomig ZMT | 10mg | $25 | $51 | $102 | |
|
| Zolmitriptan nasal 5mg | Zomig | 10mg | $32 | $64 | $128 | |
|
(1) Prices per dose and monthly costs derive from national average retail costs for September 2006 (except where noted), rounded to the nearest dollar. Information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Pharmaceutical Audit Suite.
(2) We were unable to get updates for September 2006. Prices reflect those from late 2005. Price of sumatriptan Imitrex injectable averaged over four injectable forms.
(2) We were unable to get updates for September 2006. Prices reflect those from late 2005. Price of sumatriptan Imitrex injectable averaged over four injectable forms.
Related Conditions
Learn more about conditions treated with Triptans.
