What the label lists and what reports show
Zolmitriptan side effects
Zolmitriptan's FDA label: “Most common adverse reactions (≥ 5% and > placebo) were neck/throat/jaw pain/tightness/pressure, dizziness, paresthesia, asthenia, somnolence, warm/cold sensation, nausea, heaviness sensation, and dry mouth ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS …” FAERS holds 7,155 reports naming it through July 30, 2026; the reaction reported most often, leaving out the conditions it is used for, product-use terms and outcomes, is nausea (554 reports).
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the zolmitriptan FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 29, 2026, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc.,USA); the FDA FAERS public dashboard.
What does the patient leaflet say about side effects?
From the patient leaflet: What are the possible side effects of zolmitriptan tablets?Zolmitriptan tablets are generally well tolerated. As with any medicine, people taking zolmitriptan tablets may have side effects. The side effects are usually mild and do not last long. The most common side effects of zolmitriptan tablets are: • pain, pressure or tightness in the neck, throat or jaw • dizziness • tingling or other abnormal sensations • tiredness • drowsiness • feeling warm or cold • nausea • feeling of tightness or heaviness in other areas of the body • dry mouth In very rare cases, patients taking triptans may experience serious side effects, such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, or serious allergic reactions. Extremely rarely, patients have died. […]
Source: FDA drug label, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc.,USA, effective January 29, 2026 (SPL set 333caafc-2e63-49f8-a0c6-534e528d228d), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the label list?
From the label: adverse reactionsMost common adverse reactions (≥ 5% and > placebo) were neck/throat/jaw pain/tightness/pressure, dizziness, paresthesia, asthenia, somnolence, warm/cold sensation, nausea, heaviness sensation, and dry mouth ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA at 1 (888) 721-7115 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
A table the label prints in its adverse reactions section without a title; its column headings name the groups compared
| Reaction | Placebo (n=401) | Zolmitriptan 1 mg (n=163) | Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg (n=498) | Zolmitriptan 5 mg (n=1012) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATYPICAL SENSATIONS | 6% | 12% | 12% | 18% |
| Paresthesia (all types) | 2% | 5% | 7% | 9% |
| Warm/cold sensation | 4% | 6% | 5% | 7% |
| PAIN AND PRESSURE SENSATIONS | 7% | 13% | 14% | 22% |
| Chest-pain/tightness/pressure and/or heaviness | 1% | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Neck/throat/jaw-pain/tightness/pressure | 3% | 4% | 7% | 10% |
| Heaviness other than chest or neck | 1% | 1% | 2% | 5% |
| Other-Pressure/tightness/heaviness | 0% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| DIGESTIVE | 8% | 11% | 16% | 14% |
| Dry mouth | 2% | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Dyspepsia | 1% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| Dysphagia | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
| Nausea | 4% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| NEUROLOGICAL | 10% | 11% | 17% | 21% |
| Dizziness | 4% | 6% | 8% | 10% |
| Somnolence | 3% | 5% | 6% | 8% |
| Vertigo | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
| Asthenia | 3% | 5% | 3% | 9% |
| Sweating | 1% | 0% | 2% | 3% |
Rows and numbers as the label prints them, under its own column headings (the first rows of a longer table where it runs on). A reaction in a trial table is not necessarily caused by the medicine, and trials differ from everyday use.
From the label: adverse reactions, continuedThe following adverse reactions are described elsewhere in other sections of the prescribing information: • Myocardial Ischemia, Myocardial Infarction, and Prinzmetal Angina [ seeWarnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) ]. • Arrhythmias [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ]. • Chest and or Throat, Neck and Jaw Pain/Tightness/Pressure [ seeWarnings and Precautions ( 5.3 ) ]. • Cerebrovascular Events [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 ) ]. • Other Vasospasm Reactions [ seeWarnings and Precautions ( 5.5 ) ]. • Medication Overuse Headache [ seeWarnings and Precautions ( 5.6 ) ]. • Serotonin Syndrome [ seeWarnings and Precautions ( 5.7 ) ]. • Increase in Blood Pressure [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 ) ]. Most common adverse reactions (≥ 5% and > placebo) were neck/throat/jaw pain/tightness/pressure, dizziness, paresthesia, asthenia, somnolence, warm/cold sensation, nausea, heaviness sensation, and dry mouth ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA at 1 (888) 721-7115 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. …
Source: FDA drug label, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc.,USA, effective January 29, 2026 (SPL set 333caafc-2e63-49f8-a0c6-534e528d228d), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show?
7,155 reports list zolmitriptan among the medicines taken, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 169 are coded as a death and 1,687 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is. Of the 19 reactions below, 9 are named by the same term (in US spelling) in the label's adverse reactions, warnings or patient leaflet; a reaction the label does not name may still be there under another word, and a report does not show that the medicine caused it.
Reports received each year
The 25 most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026; reactions as MedDRA preferred terms
What next?
- Zolmitriptan: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls
- Report a side effect to the FDA
- MedWatch
- Side effects hub
- the most reported medicines and reactions