Details

Ergotamine is in a group of drugs called ergot alkaloids. It works by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain. Ergotamine also affects blood flow patterns that are associated with certain types of headaches. Ergotamine is used to treat a migraine type headache. This medication will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent migraine headaches or reduce the number of attacks. Remember, ergotamine should not be used to treat common tension headaches or any headache that seems to be different from your usual migraine headaches. Do not take ergotamine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, or history of a heart attack or stroke coronary artery disease uncontrolled high blood pressure severe liver disease severe kidney disease or a serious infection called sepsis.

Typical Uses

Ergotamine is used (usually in combination with caffeine and cyclizine) to relieve the symptoms of a migraine attack.

Side Effects

Stop taking ergotamine and contact your doctor immediately if you have a serious side effect such as sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance fast or slow heart rate muscle pain in your arms or legs leg weakness numbness or tingling and a pale or blue-coloured appearance in your fingers or toes severe pain in your stomach or lower back urinating less than usual or not at all swelling or itching in any part of your body cough with stabbing chest pain and trouble breathing or dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Drug Interactions

• Ergotamine+almotriptan- Using almotriptan together with ergotamine is not recommended. Combining these medications may have additive effects and cause excessive narrowing of blood vessels in the body. This can reduce blood flow to vital organs and increase the risk of rare but serious side effects such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and gangrene.

• Ergotamine+boceprevir- Using ergotamine together with boceprevir is not recommended. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels and effects of ergotamine, which in some cases can lead to excessive narrowing of blood vessels in the body. This can reduce blood flow to vital organs and increase the risk of rare but serious side effects such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and gangrene.

• Ergotamine+citalopram- Using ergotamine together with citalopram can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death.

• Ergotamine+efavirenz- Using ergotamine together with efavirenz is not recommended. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels and effects of ergotamine, which in some cases can lead to excessive narrowing of blood vessels in the body. This can reduce blood flow to vital organs and increase the risk of rare but serious side effects such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and gangrene.

Mechanism of action

Ergotamine belongs to a class of drugs called as ergot derivatives. It acts by narrowing the blood vessels in and around the brain, thus increasing the blood pressure and reducing the headache associated with migraine.

Pregnancy Category : X