Warnings for Frova
Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section
Precautions for Frova
Myocardial Ischemia, Myocardial Infarction, And Prinzmetal’s Angina
FROVA is contraindicated in patients with ischemic or vasospastic CAD. There have been rare reports of serious cardiac adverse reactions, including acute myocardial infarction, occurring within a few hours following administration of FROVA. Some of these reactions occurred in patients without known CAD. FROVA may cause coronary artery vasospasm (Prinzmetal’s angina), even in patients without a history of CAD.
Perform a cardiovascular evaluation in triptan-naïve patients who have multiple cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., increased age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, strong family history of CAD) prior to receiving FROVA. Do not administer FROVA if there is evidence of CAD or coronary artery vasospasm [see CONTRAINDICATIONS]. For patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors who have a negative cardiovascular evaluation, consider administrating the first FROVA dose in a medically-supervised setting and performing an electrocardiogram (ECG) immediately following FROVA administration. For such patients, consider periodic cardiovascular evaluation in intermittent long-term users of FROVA.
Arrhythmias
Life-threatening disturbances of cardiac rhythm including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation leading to death have been reported within a few hours following the administration of 5-HT1 agonists. Discontinue FROVA if these disturbances occur. FROVA is contraindicated in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or arrhythmias associated with other cardiac accessory conduction pathway disorders [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Chest, Throat, Neck, And Jaw Pain/Tightness/Pressure
Sensations of pain, tightness, pressure, and heaviness have been reported in the chest, throat, neck, and jaw after treatment with FROVA and are usually non-cardiac in origin. However, perform a cardiac evaluation if these patients are at high cardiac risk. The use of FROVA is contraindicated in patients with CAD and those with Prinzmetal’s angina [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Cerebrovascular Events
Cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, and other cerebrovascular events have been reported in patients treated with 5-HT1 agonists, and some have resulted in fatalities. In a number of cases, it appears possible that the cerebrovascular events were primary, the agonist having been administered in the incorrect belief that the symptoms experienced were a consequence of migraine, when they were not.
Before treating headaches in patients not previously diagnosed as migraineurs, and in migraineurs who present with symptoms atypical of migraine, other potentially serious neurological conditions need to be excluded. FROVA is contraindicated in patients with a history of stroke or TIA [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Other Vasospasm Reactions
FROVA may cause non-coronary vasospastic reactions, such as peripheral vascular ischemia, gastrointestinal vascular ischemia and infarction (presenting with abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea), splenic infarction, and Raynaud’s syndrome. In patients who experience symptoms or signs suggestive of a vasospastic reaction following the use of any 5-HT1 agonist, rule out a vasospastic reaction before using FROVA [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Reports of transient and permanent blindness and significant partial vision loss have been reported with the use of 5-HT1 agonists. Since visual disorders may be part of a migraine attack, a causal relationship between these events and the use of 5-HT1 agonists have not been clearly established.
Medication Overuse Headache
Overuse of acute migraine drugs (e.g., ergotamine, triptans, opioids, or combination of these drugs for 10 or more days per month) may lead to exacerbation of headache (medication overuse headache). Medication overuse headache may present as migraine-like daily headaches or as a marked increase in frequency of migraine attacks. Detoxification of patients, including withdrawal of the overused drugs, and treatment of withdrawal symptoms (which often includes a transient worsening of headache) may be necessary.
Serotonin Syndrome
Serotonin syndrome may occur with FROVA, particularly during co-administration with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors [see DRUG INTERACTIONS]. Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include mental status changes (e.g., agitation, hallucinations, coma), autonomic instability (e.g., tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia), neuromuscular aberrations (e.g., hyperreflexia, incoordination), and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). The onset of symptoms usually occurs within minutes to hours of receiving a new or a greater dose of a serotonergic medication. Discontinue FROVA if serotonin syndrome is suspected.
Increase In Blood Pressure
Significant elevation in blood pressure, including hypertensive crisis with acute impairment of organ systems, has been reported on rare occasions in patients treated with 5-HT1 agonists, including patients without a history of hypertension. Monitor blood pressure in patients treated with FROVA. FROVA is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Hypersensitivity Reactions
There have been reports of reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, in patients receiving FROVA. Such reactions can be life threatening or fatal. In general, anaphylactic reactions to drugs are more likely to occur in individuals with a history of sensitivity to multiple allergens. FROVA is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity reaction to FROVA [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Patient Counseling Information
Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (PATIENT INFORMATION).
Myocardial Ischemia And/Or Infarction, Prinzmetal’s Angina, Other Vasospastic Reactions, And Cerebrovascular Events
Inform patients that FROVA may cause serious cardiovascular adverse reactions such as myocardial infarction or stroke, which may result in hospitalization and even death. Although serious cardiovascular reactions can occur without warning symptoms, instruct patients to be alert for the signs and symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, slurring of speech, and instruct them to ask for medical advice when observing any indicative sign or symptoms. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if they have symptoms of other vasospastic reactions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Inform patients that anaphylactic reactions have occurred in patients receiving FROVA. Inform patients that such reactions can be life threatening or fatal and to seek immediate medical attention if they have anaphylactic symptoms. In general, anaphylactic reactions to drugs are more likely to occur in individuals with a history of sensitivity to multiple allergens [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].
Medication Overuse Headache
Inform patients that use of drugs to treat acute migraines for 10 or more days per month may lead to an exacerbation of headache, and encourage patients to record headache frequency and drug use (e.g., by keeping a headache diary) [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Serotonin Syndrome
Inform patients about the risk of serotonin syndrome with the use of FROVA or other triptans, particularly during combined use with SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, and MAO inhibitors [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Pregnancy
Advise patients to notify their healthcare provider if they become pregnant during treatment or plan to become pregnant [see Use In Specific Populations].
Lactation
Inform patients to notify their healthcare provider if they are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed [see Use In Specific Populations].
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenesis
The carcinogenic potential of orally administered frovatriptan was evaluated in an 84-week study in mice (4, 13, and 40 mg/kg/day), a 104-week study in rats (8.5, 27, and 85 mg/kg/day), and a 26-week study in p53(+/-) transgenic mice (20, 62.5, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day). Although a maximum tolerated dose was not achieved in the 84-week mouse study and in female rats, plasma exposures at the highest doses studied were higher than that achieved in humans at the MRHD of 7.5 mg/day. There were no increases in tumor incidence in the 84-week mouse study at doses producing plasma exposures (AUC) 140 times that in humans at the MRHD. In the rat study, there was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of pituitary adenomas in males only at 85 mg/kg/day, a dose associated with a plasma AUC 250 times that in humans at the MRHD. In the 26-week p53(+/-) transgenic mouse study, the incidence of subcutaneous sarcomas was increased in females at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg/day.
These sarcomas were associated with subcutaneously implanted animal identification transponders, and are not considered to be relevant to humans. There were no other increases in tumor incidence of any type in any dose group.
Mutagenesis
Frovatriptan was clastogenic in human lymphocyte cultures, in the absence of metabolic activation. In the bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test), frovatriptan produced an equivocal response in the absence of metabolic activation. Frovatriptan was negative in an in vitro mouse lymphoma tk assay and an in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus test.
Impairment Of Fertility
Male and female rats were dosed orally with frovatriptan prior to and during mating and in females up to implantation, at doses of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day (equivalent to approximately 130, 650, and 1300 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis). At all dose levels, there was an increase in the number of females that mated on the first day of pairing compared to control animals. This occurred in conjunction with a prolongation of the estrous cycle. In addition, females had a decreased mean number of corpora lutea, and consequently a lower number of live fetuses per litter, which suggested a partial impairment of ovulation. There were no other fertility-related effects.
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
There are no adequate data on the developmental risk associated with the use of FROVA in pregnant women. In animal studies, frovatriptan produced developmental toxicity (embryofetal lethality, fetal abnormalities, and decreased embryofetal growth) when administered to pregnant rats and rabbits at doses greater than those used clinically [see Animal Data].
In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and of miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. The reported rate of major birth defects among deliveries to women with migraine ranged from 2.2% to 2.9% and the reported rate of miscarriage was 17%, which were similar to rates reported in women without migraine.
Clinical Considerations
Disease-Associated Maternal and/or Embryo/Fetal Risk
Published data have suggested that women with migraines may be at increased risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy.
Data
Animal Data
When pregnant rats were administered frovatriptan (oral doses of 0, 100, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/day) throughout organogenesis, increased embryofetal mortality and an increased incidence of fetal malformations were observed at the high dose; decreased fetal body weights and increased incidences of fetal structural variations associated with growth impairment were observed at all doses. The lowest effect dose for embryofetal developmental toxicity in rats (100 mg/kg/day) is approximately 130 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 7.5 mg/day on a body surface area (mg/m2) basis.
When pregnant rabbits were administered frovatriptan (oral doses of 0, 5, 20, or 80 mg/kg/day) throughout organogenesis, embryofetal mortality was increased at the mid and high doses. The no-effect dose for embryofetal developmental toxicity in rabbits (5 mg/kg/day) is approximately 13 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis.
Oral administration of frovatriptan (0, 100, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/day) to female rats throughout pregnancy and lactation resulted in increased embryofetal mortality at the high dose. The no effect dose for pre-and postnatal developmental toxicity in rats (500 mg/kg/day) is approximately 650 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis.
Lactation
Risk Summary
There are no data on the presence of frovatriptan in human milk, the effects of frovatriptan on the breastfed infant, or the effects of frovatriptan on milk production. In rats, oral dosing with frovatriptan resulted in levels of frovatriptan and/or its metabolites in milk up to four times higher than in plasma.
The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for FROVA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from frovatriptan or from the underlying maternal condition.
Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Therefore, FROVA is not recommended for use in patients under 18 years of age. There are no additional adverse reactions identified in pediatric patients based on postmarketing experience that were not previously identified in adults.
Geriatric Use
Mean blood concentrations of frovatriptan in elderly patients were 1.5 to 2 times higher than those seen in younger adults [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. No dosage adjustment is necessary.
Patients With Hepatic Impairment
No dosage adjustment is necessary when FROVA is given to patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment.
There is no clinical or pharmacokinetic experience with FROVA in patients with severe hepatic impairment. Because a greater than two-fold increase in AUC is predicted in patients with severe hepatic impairment, there is a greater potential for adverse events in these patients, and FROVA should therefore be used with caution in that population.