In addition to an injection, tablet and a nasal spray, sumatriptan is being tested in two other formulations. No, it is not an inhaled form, which I just posted in my previous blog (dihydroergotamine inhaler), but through a skin patch and by a “lingual spray”, that is a spray into the mouth. The skin patch may work fast and will deliver medicine through the skin, bypassing the stomach, which would be very useful for people who get very nauseous and have difficulty swallowing medications. However, it is quite a large patch and will probably cost significantly more than a tablet, particularly in the generic form. The second new formulation, a spray into the mouth, appears to partially absorb in the mouth and partially in the stomach, making it also work faster, although so far it looks to be only as effective as a 50 mg tablet. The usual dose is 100 mg. Also, hopefully the company that is developing this product has been able to mask the taste of sumatriptan. Patients who have tried the nasal spray often complain of a very unpleasant taste, which can make nausea worse.
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