[Chest pain due to sumatriptan].

Since the registration of sumatriptan (Imigran) in May 1991, the Netherlands Centre for Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Drugs received 13 reports of substernal chest tightness or pain attributed to its use. These concerned 11 women and two men with an average age of 41 years, who developed angina-like symptoms mostly within one hour after oral or subcutaneous administration. Electrocardiography (in three patients) and echocardiography (in one patient), performed after resolution of the symptoms, were normal. With the exception of one patient, none had experienced such symptoms before. Although sumatriptan is an effective anti-migrainous drug, cautious use is strongly advised. Sumatriptan is contraindicated in patients with coronary artery disease or variant angina pectoris.