The nurse teaching a patient starting sumatriptan should include what information?

• A. Take the medication before the headache worsens.
• B. Take at bedtime.
• C. Take with meals.
• D. Take only during a severe headache.

Answer: (A)

Sumatriptan works best when given at the onset of a migraine to abort the attack. When you take it early, it helps stop the cascade that drives the migraine by limiting the release of pain-signaling substances and by constricting pathways involved in the attack. If you wait until the headache is already severe, the medication is less likely to provide full relief because the migraine process has progressed beyond the point where this drug is most effective. Therefore, the key teaching is to take sumatriptan at the first signs of a migraine rather than waiting for it to worsen. Timing relative to meals or bedtime isn’t critical for effectiveness, and it isn’t intended to be used only during a severe headache. (Also follow safety guidelines about dosing and interactions with other medications as discussed with your clinician.)