whether patients on SSRIs can use one of the "triptans" for migraines

December 1999

The question often comes up about whether patients on SSRIs can use one of the "triptans" for migraines...Imitrex (sumatriptan), Zomig (zolmitriptan), Maxalt (rizatriptan), or Amerge (naratriptan).

About a third of migraine patients take antidepressants...either to prevent headaches, or for another condition.

The concern is that combining a triptan with an SSRI might lead to serotonin syndrome...due to additive serotonergic effects.

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