triptan

noun

trip·tan | \ ˈtrip-ˌtan

, -tən\

Definition of triptan

: any of a class of drugs (such as sumatriptan) that bind to and are agonists of serotonin receptors and are used to treat migraine attacks

Examples of triptan in a Sentence

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Ideally such pain relievers would be in pill form and would not constrict blood vessels, as triptans do. — R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, "Can Anything Stop My Migraine?," 1 May 2017 This drug belongs to a group of popular migraine medications called triptans, which increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, helping your blood vessels to constrict and reducing pain, according to the NINDS. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Neurologists Share Exactly How They Deal With Their Migraines," 1 Aug. 2018 The first migraine-specific drugs, the triptans, were introduced in the 1990s. — David Noonan, Scientific American, "New Nerve Drugs May Finally Prevent Migraine Headaches," 1 Dec. 2015 Yet even refined, synthetic versions of ergotamine can dangerously narrow blood vessels, so doctors and patients welcomed the triptans, which selectively constrict the blood vessels of the brain. — Emily Underwood, Science | AAAS, "Will antibodies finally put an end to migraines?," 18 May 2018 To treat migraines, people usually take over-the-counter NSAIDs or dedicated triptans, a class of drugs first introduced in the 1990s. — Fiza Pirani, ajc, "FDA approves new drug to stop chronic migraines without side effects," 21 May 2018 This success rate is similar to that of triptans but without the risks associated with constriction of blood vessels. — R. Allan Purdy, Scientific American, "Can Anything Stop My Migraine?," 1 May 2017 It is normally associated with certain medications, such as ergotamine or triptans, and illicit drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines -- not peppers. — Mark Lieber, CNN, "Brain effects of 'hottest pepper in the world' put man in hospital," 9 Apr. 2018 The triptan that kept my migraines at bay for most of my life was created in 1992, the year I was born. — Katy Schneider, The Cut, "My Seven-Month Migraine," 31 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'triptan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of triptan was in 1997

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triptan

noun

trip·tan | \ ˈtrip-ˌtan

, -tən

Medical Definition of triptan

: any of a class of drugs (as sumatriptan) that bind to and are agonists of serotonin receptors, that are used to treat migraine attacks, and that are thought to function by producing vasoconstriction of cranial blood vessels, by inhibiting secretion of inflammatory neuropeptides, and by blocking neurotransmission of pain