Qulipta (atogepant) has potential interactions with other medications and some supplements. For example, Qulipta can interact with gemfibrozil (Lopid) and certain seizure drugs.
Qulipta is prescribed to help prevent episodic and chronic migraine in adults. It comes as an oral tablet.
An interaction occurs because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Qulipta’s possible interactions. And for more information about Qulipta, including details about its uses, see this in-depth Qulipta article.
Before you start taking Qulipta, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Qulipta interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Qulipta?” section.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The following table lists drugs that may interact with Qulipta. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Qulipta. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| barbiturates | • pentobarbital (Nembutal) • primidone (Mysoline) • phenobarbital (Sezaby) | may make Qulipta less effective |
| certain antifungals | • itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura) • ketoconazole • posaconazole (Noxafil) • voriconazole (Vfend) | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta |
| certain antibiotics | • erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, others) • clarithromycin • rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) • nafcillin (Nallpen) | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta or make it less effective |
| certain seizure drugs | • phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) • carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, others) • cenobamate (Xcopri) • oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar XR, Trileptal) • topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR, others) | may make Qulipta less effective |
| certain stimulants | • armodafinil (Nuvigil) • modafinil (Provigil) | may make Qulipta less effective |
| cyclosporine (Gengraf, Sandimmune, others) | — | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta |
| gemfibrozil (Lopid) | — | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta |
| leflunomide (Arava) | — | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta |
| teriflunomide (Aubagio) | — | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta |
| dexamethasone (Hemady) | — | may make Qulipta less effective |
| certain HIV medications | • ritonavir (Norvir) • efavirenz • etravirine (Intelence) • atazanavir (Reyataz) | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta or make it less effective |
| certain cancer medications | • idelalisib (Zydelig) • apalutamide (Erleada) • bexarotene | may increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta or make it less effective |
| bosentan (Tracleer) | — | may make Qulipta less effective |
Qulipta is not known to interact with alcohol. But Qulipta and alcohol can cause similar side effects, such as nausea and fatigue (low energy). These side effects may worsen if you drink alcohol during your Qulipta treatment.
Keep in mind that drinking alcohol can be a trigger for a migraine episode. And Qulipta helps prevent migraine episodes. If you know alcohol has this effect on you, it may be best to avoid drinking it while taking Qulipta.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol while taking Qulipta, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Qulipta and possible interactions.
Is Qulipta a triptan? How do Qulipta’s interactions compare with those of triptans, such as sumatriptan?
No, Qulipta is not a triptan drug. Instead, Qulipta belongs to a group of drugs called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists. Qulipta helps prevent migraine episodes, while triptans help treat migraine episodes.
Generally, Qulipta and triptans have different interactions. Triptan interactions may vary depending on the specific drug.
For example, Qulipta may interact with seizure drugs. These include oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar XR, Trileptal), topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR, others), and more. But triptans such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, others) and eletriptan (Relpax) aren’t known to interact with those medications. Triptans also may interact with other drugs that aren’t known to interact with Qulipta.
If you have other questions about Qulipta and triptans, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Can you take Qulipta and Nurtec together?
You might take these drugs together if your doctor recommends it. Qulipta currently has no reports of interacting with Nurtec, better known as Nurtec ODT (rimegepant).
Both Qulipta and Nurtec ODT belong to a group of drugs called CGRP antagonists. Both drugs help prevent migraine episodes. Nurtec ODT also treats migraine episodes.
One review of studies suggests that taking multiple CGRP antagonists may be more effective than taking just one. But the safety of doing so is not certain. Combining CGRP antagonists could increase the risk of side effects from either drug.
If you have questions about taking Qulipta with Nurtec ODT, talk with your doctor.
Can you take Tylenol with Qulipta?
Yes, it should be safe to take Qulipta with Tylenol (acetaminophen). These medications aren’t known to interact with each other.
Qulipta helps prevent migraine episodes. Tylenol may relieve pain during a migraine episode.
If you have other questions about taking Qulipta and Tylenol together, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Can you take Qulipta and ibuprofen together?
Yes, it should be safe to take Qulipta and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) together. These medications aren’t known to interact with each other.
Doctors prescribe Qulipta to help prevent migraine episodes. Ibuprofen may help ease pain during a migraine episode.
If you have other questions about taking Qulipta with ibuprofen, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Qulipta. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Qulipta for you. These are known as contraindications. The following is a contraindication of Qulipta.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Qulipta or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Qulipta for you. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before you start taking Qulipta, talk with your doctor if the factor above applies to you. Your doctor can determine whether Qulipta is safe for you to take.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Qulipta.
Interaction with certain seizure drugs
Qulipta can interact with certain seizure drugs that treat seizure conditions. Like Qulipta, certain seizure drugs also help prevent migraine episodes.
Examples of seizure drugs include:
- phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
- carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, others)
- cenobamate (Xcopri)
- oxcarbazepine (Oxtellar XR, Trileptal)
- topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR, others)
What could happen
Taking Qulipta with certain seizure drugs may cause your body to break down Qulipta faster than it should. This can lower the level of Qulipta in your body, which could make the drug less effective.
What you can do
Before taking Qulipta, tell your doctor if you take any seizure drugs. They can determine whether it’s safe to take these medications together.
For helping prevent chronic migraine, your doctor is unlikely to prescribe Qulipta with a seizure drug if they interact. Instead, they can suggest an alternative treatment.
For helping prevent episodic migraine, your doctor may still prescribe Qulipta with seizure drugs even if they interact. In this case, they may prescribe a Qulipta dosage that’s higher than usual. This can help ensure Qulipta is effective at helping prevent episodic migraine.
If you have questions about taking Qulipta with certain seizure drugs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with gemfibrozil
Qulipta can interact with gemfibrozil (Lopid), which helps lower high triglyceride levels.
What could happen
Taking Qulipta with gemfibrozil can increase the risk of side effects from Qulipta. This is because gemfibrozil can cause your body to break down Qulipta slower than usual. In turn, this can lead to a high level of Qulipta in your body, which can raise your risk of side effects.
What you can do
Before taking Qulipta, tell your doctor if you take gemfibrozil. If you do, your doctor may prescribe a Qulipta dosage that’s lower than usual. Doing so may help reduce your risk of side effects from the drug.
If you have questions about taking Qulipta with gemfibrozil, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with dexamethasone
Qulipta can interact with dexamethasone (Hemady), which treats inflammation. Examples of inflammatory conditions are allergic reaction and eczema.
What could happen
Taking Qulipta with dexamethasone may cause your body to break down Qulipta faster than it should. This can lower the level of Qulipta in your body, which could make the drug less effective.
What you can do
Before taking Qulipta, tell your doctor if you take dexamethasone. They can determine whether it’s safe to take it with Qulipta.
For helping prevent chronic migraine, your doctor is unlikely to prescribe Qulipta with dexamethasone. They may recommend an alternative treatment instead.
For helping prevent episodic migraine, your doctor may prescribe Qulipta with dexamethasone. If they do, they may prescribe a Qulipta dosage that’s higher than usual. This can help ensure that Qulipta is effective.
If you have questions about taking Qulipta with dexamethasone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Qulipta may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See the following for details. Note that the following information does not include all other interactions possible with Qulipta.
Does Qulipta interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Qulipta, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins and supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Qulipta interactions with herbs
Qulipta can interact with St. John’s wort. Some people take it to help ease symptoms of depression and other conditions.
Taking Qulipta with St. John’s wort may cause your body to break down Qulipta too quickly. This can lower the level of Qulipta in your body, which may make the drug less effective.
Due to this risk, tell your doctor if you take St. John’s wort. If you do, they may recommend you avoid it if you take Qulipta for helping prevent chronic migraine. They can recommend alternative treatment options for you.
If your doctor recommends it, you may be able to take St. John’s wort with Qulipta to help prevent episodic migraine. If you take them together, your doctor may prescribe a Qulipta dosage that’s higher than usual. This can help ensure Qulipta is effective at helping prevent episodic migraine.
Before taking any herbal supplements with Qulipta, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Qulipta and vitamins
Qulipta currently has no reports of interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Qulipta.
Does Qulipta interact with food?
Qulipta may interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. This is because grapefruit products can cause your body to break down Qulipta too slowly. In turn, this can lead to a high level of Qulipta in your body, which raises your risk of side effects.
Due to this risk, doctors usually suggest that you avoid consuming grapefruit products while taking Qulipta.
If you have questions about eating certain foods during your Qulipta treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Qulipta interact with vaccines?
Qulipta currently has no reports of interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Qulipta treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Qulipta interact with lab tests?
Qulipta currently has no reports of interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about getting certain lab tests during your treatment with Qulipta, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Qulipta interact with cannabis or CBD?
Qulipta currently has no reports of interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Qulipta.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Qulipta. Before taking Qulipta, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Qulipta is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Qulipta include:
Liver problems: If you have a severe liver problem, such as liver failure, talk with your doctor before starting Qulipta treatment. Your body may not break down Qulipta correctly. This can lead to a high level of the drug in your body, which raises your risk of side effects.
If you have a severe liver problem, your doctor can suggest alternatives to Qulipta.
Kidney problems: If you have a kidney problem, such as kidney failure, your body may not break down Qulipta correctly. This can lead to a high level of the drug in your body. In turn, that raises your risk of side effects from Qulipta.
If you have a kidney problem, your doctor can help determine whether Qulipta is the right treatment option for you. For helping prevent episodic migraine, your doctor may prescribe a Qulipta dosage that’s lower than usual. For helping prevent chronic migraine, your doctor may suggest alternatives to Qulipta.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Qulipta is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Qulipta.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Qulipta while breastfeeding. Researchers don’t know whether the drug passes into breast milk. And it’s not known what effects the drug may have on a child who is breastfed.
If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Qulipta or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Qulipta. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction.
You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Qulipta. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- the
list of medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Qulipta treatment
It’s also important to understand Qulipta’s
If you did not get paperwork with Qulipta, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Taking Qulipta exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.