Summary of Use during Lactation

Breastmilk levels of rizatriptan are low and the half-life in milk is relatively short. Amounts ingested by the infant are small and unlikely to affect the nursing infant.

Drug Levels

Maternal Levels. Five women who were at least 1 month postpartum and used rizatriptan to treat migraine provided one milk sample before their dose, then additional milk samples at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours after their 10 mg oral dose. The average peak milk level was 58.4 mcg/L (range 14.6 to 105.6 mcg/L) and occurred 2 hours after the dose in 4 women ad 4 hours after the dose in another. The average milk level was 9 mcg/L (range 2.6 to 14.8 mcg/L) and the average half-life in milk was 2.2 hours (range 1.6 to 3.1 hours). The average daily infant dosage of rizatriptan was 1.3 mcg/kg (range 0.4 to 2.2 mcg/kg) and the weight-adjusted infant dosage averaged 0.9% (range 0.5 to 1.4%) of the maternal dose.[1]

Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects in Breastfed Infants

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on Lactation and Breastmilk

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Alternate Drugs to Consider

Eletriptan, Sumatriptan, Zolmitriptan

References

1.

Amundsen S, Nordeng H, Fuskevåg OM, et al. Transfer of triptans into human breast milk and estimation of infant drug exposure through breastfeeding. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2021;128:795–804. [PubMed: 33730376]

Substance Name

Rizatriptan

CAS Registry Number

144034-80-0

Drug Class

Breast Feeding

Lactation

Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists

Triptans

Vasoconstrictor Agents