Eletriptan (Relpax) Uses

Eletriptan is used to treat acute migraine headaches. This drug does not prevent migraines or reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. It is not used to treat cluster headaches or basilar or hemiplegic migraines.

There may be other uses of eletriptan—your pharmacist or doctor can give you further drug information.

Eletriptan (Relpax) Mechanism of Action

Eletriptan works by causing coronary vasoconstriction (narrowing blood vessels in the brain). It prevents pain signals from reaching the brain. In addition, the medication affects the action of certain substances in the body that cause migraine symptoms like headache and nausea.

Eletriptan (Relpax) Doses

Eletriptan comes in the form of 20 mg and 40 mg tablets to take by mouth. You should take eletriptan 20 mg or 40 mg at the first sign of a migraine headache. The maximum single dose is 40 mg. 

If your symptoms improve but come back, you can take a second dose after at least 2 hours have passed from the first dose. However, if you do not have improvement in migraine symptoms after one dose of eletriptan, do not take a second dose without talking to your doctor first. 

Do not take more than 80 mg of eletriptan in a 24-hour period. We do not know whether it is safe to treat more than 3 migraine attacks with eletriptan within a 30-day period.