The medicines have developed over the years for the cure of a disease known as migraine. In the world, more than 12% of the population suffers from migraines and the percentage of women is high which is followed by children.
The disease is quite common due to stress and other such issues, whereas others have it in their genes.
Key Takeaways
- Imitrex has a shorter half-life of 2.5 hours, while Relpax has a longer half-life of 5-6 hours.
- Relpax has a higher success rate in treating migraines, with a success rate of 80-90%, compared to Imitrex’s success rate of 70%.
- Imitrex has a shorter onset of action, with relief starting in 30 minutes, while Relpax can take up to 2 hours to start providing relief.
Imitrex vs Relpax
Imitrex is a triptan medicine, which means that it is a selective serotonin booster that can be used to relieve a migraine attack. It is not used as a standalone treatment. Relpax is a standalone medicine that is used in the treatment of migraines and prescribed by doctors because it handles high migraine attacks.
Imitrex is a triptan, which signifies that it is a selective serotonin booster that helps in relieving the migraine attack but does not work on headaches and cannot be used as a standalone for the treatment of the disease.
It is also known as Sumatriptan in scientific terminology. It can be classified under the heading of generic drugs.
Relpax is used as a standalone medicine for the treatment of migraines and is the primary medicine that is prescribed by doctors due to its capability to handle higher orders of migraine attacks and also treat headaches at the same time.
It is also known as eletriptan hydrobromide in scientific terminology.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Imitrex | Relpax |
|---|---|---|
| The ability to treat migraine | It prevents people from mild to low migraine attacks and has to be used with other medicine for headaches | It can be used as a standalone for the treatment as it treats both headaches as well high migraine attacks. |
| Scientific names | It is also known as sumatriptan because of its composition and is a selective serotonin booster. | It is also known as eletriptan hydrobromide and is also an anticonvulsant which means it is used to treat seizures. |
| Upsides of the medicine | The benefit is that it can be available in different forms and a combination can be used and it can be used by pregnant women. | The benefit is that it is available in different doses and can be helpful if you have migraine attacks rarely. |
| Downsides of the medicine | The medicine can cause fluctuations in the blood pressure along with the unpleasant taste of the medicine and overdose can cause headaches. | The medicine cannot be used if you get more than three attacks a month due to side effects and is only a brand name and has some severe side effects. |
| Available dosage forms | The medicine is available in many different forms like nasal, patch, injections and the accurate one is prescribed. | The medicine is only available in one form and should be taken with at least a gap of 2 hours. |
| Side effects | The medicine can cause pain in the head and chest along with redness, unusual tastes in the mouth and others. | The medicine can give you fever and can also cause some more risky effects like blue hands and cold feet or other body parts. |
What is Imitrex?
Imitrex is one of the leading medicines in the field of medicine for the treatment of migraines.
They are quite popular due to them being generic medicines and can also be called sumatriptan and are a selective serotonin booster that does not treat headaches or prevent them. It has its upsides and downsides.
Imitrex has the benefit of being cheap due to being a generic drug. They are also less harmful to pregnant women and can also be used within a gap of one hour.
The medicine is also available in different forms like pills, nasal sprays, patches, etc. which makes it more accessible and the combination can be used for treating special cases.
The medicine should be taken according to the prescription of a doctor, and doses may vary according to the level of your migraine attacks.
Imitrex has some common side effects on the body, which include fluctuation of the blood pressure level, and it should be checked, especially for pregnant women.
They can also cause other effects such as redness, unusual taste in the mouth, pain in the head and chest, tightness and others.
The main disadvantage is that they are not good for the treatment of high migraine attacks and cannot be used as a standalone medicine for the treatment.
What is Relpax?
Relax is the most common drug that is prescribed by doctors for the treatment of migraine attacks.
It consists of eletriptan hydrobromide and acts as an anticonvulsant, which means it prevents seizures from happening and also treats headaches after it occur.
Relax is one of the most common medicines used in the treatment because it also serves the purpose of treating high migraine attacks and can cause the headaches to subside and it is available more widely.
It also needs to be taken with the proper prescription by a doctor and can be used after 2 hours from the first intake. The medicine is available in two different types of dosage that help in the treatment of different levels of attacks.
The medicine cannot be used frequently due to its side effects, some of which are deadly and need immediate response from a doctor.
The common side effects are fever, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, etc. It also has some rare side effects, which include blue feet and hands as well as cold feet and palms.
The medicine can also not be used for patients who get migraine attacks more than three times a month as it has severe side effects and can also cause a heart stroke.
Main Differences Between Imitrex and Relpax
- Imitrex can be used for patients who have low to mild migraine attacks only and does not prevent headaches; therefore, it cannot be used as a standalone treatment, whereas Relpax can be used for high migraine attacks and also prevents headaches which is the sole reason of it becoming a standalone treatment.
- Imitrex is available in different forms of intake like patches, injections, etc. and can be used in combination even by pregnant women, whereas Relpax has two different types of doses, which enables it to treat different levels of migraine attacks.
- Imitrex can cause fluctuations in blood pressure, unpleasant taste and reverse headaches due to overdose, whereas it is expensive and can cause severe side effects and is not prescribed for people who have migraine attacks more than three times a month.
- Imitrex can cause pain in the head and chest, tightness, redness, coldness or hotness, whereas Relpax can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and some rare effects like blue feet and hands, as well as cold feet and hands.
- The scientific name of the medicine is sumatriptan, which is a selective serotonin booster, whereas the composition of Relpax has eletriptan hydrobromide and acts as an anticonvulsant.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1555415508002705
- https://www.askdrray.com/do-not-mix-migraine-medications-with-antidepressants/
Last Updated : 03 September, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
It’s interesting to learn about the differences and benefits of Imitrex and Relpax. With more awareness and knowledge, patients and doctors can make informed decisions when it comes to treatment options.
Absolutely, Lewis. Informed decisions are crucial, and this article provides insightful details that can guide both patients and healthcare providers.
Reading about the differences in effectiveness and side effects of Imitrex and Relpax is eye-opening. It highlights the need for continued research and advancements in migraine treatment.
The details about Imitrex and Relpax are quite useful, but the potential side effects are concerning. It’s important for patients to weigh the risks and benefits under the guidance of healthcare professionals.
I’m glad that advanced medicines like Imitrex and Relpax are available to address migraines. This seems like a step in the right direction in improving the quality of life for individuals suffering from this condition.
I appreciate the comprehensive comparison between Imitrex and Relpax. This information is valuable for those seeking the most effective and suitable treatment for their migraines.
This article provides a valuable comparison of Imitrex and Relpax. It’s great to have this detailed information available for those suffering from migraines.
It’s concerning to read about potential side effects and limitations of these medicines, which might make potential users wary. I hope research continues and new treatments are developed to mitigate these concerns.
I think it’s commendable for medical research to continue despite these limitations. New and improved treatments are definitely needed.
Totally agree, Layla! It is crucial to find new ways to treat migraines without the adverse effects that are associated with the current medications.
The development in the field of medicine for migraines is truly impressive! It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come. I think the availability of these different types of medicines in various forms benefits a great number of people.
I completely agree, Phillips! It’s great to see that there are more treatment options and that they’re more accessible and less harmful in some cases.