Zolmitriptan (Zomig) is a member of the "triptan" family, a group of medications commonly used to treat migraine headache. In general, doctors try to avoid using triptans in people with a history of heart disease. Sometimes nothing else is effective for migraine. For people with coronary artery disease or irregular heart rhythms, triptans should definitely be avoided.

People with risk factors for heart disease should talk to their doctors. People with risk factors who have a normal cardiac evaluation can consider trying a triptan while supervised in their doctor's office. If that goes well, then triptans may be an option, but only with specific authorization from their doctor.

When zolmitriptan and other triptans are used for migraines, they are used to help stop a migraine from building into a severe episode. The visual aura, which can be flashing lights, blind spots or zigzag lines, often precede the migraine headache. For people who have a visual aura that rapidly turns into headache, taking a triptan during the visual aura could be helpful. There is one caution with this approach: Some people will have a visual aura that does not turn into a migraine headache. Others will not have the headache start for a long time after the visual aura. For people who have visual aura, but whose headaches do not start within 15 to 30 minutes from the start of the aura, it is probably better to wait until the moment the headache starts before using the triptan.