Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Practice Exam

Which product is therapeutically equivalent to sumatriptan 50 mg tablets?

1. Sumatriptan 6mg/0.5mL solution for injection

2. Imitrex 50 mg tablets

3. Sumatriptan 20 mg nasal spray

4. Effexor 50 mg capsules

The correct answer is: Imitrex 50 mg tablets

The choice is therapeutically equivalent to sumatriptan 50 mg tablets because it contains the same active ingredient, sumatriptan, at the same dosage of 50 mg in tablet form. Therapeutic equivalence means that this product will produce the same clinical effect and safety profile when administered in the same dosage form and strength. Imitrex is a brand name for sumatriptan, and thus has the same pharmacological action for treating migraine headaches as the generic version at this specified dosage. Other options do not represent therapeutic equivalents due to differences in formulation, dosage form, or active ingredient. For instance, while the sumatriptan injection offers a different route of administration, it does not provide the same dosage in tablet form. The nasal spray provides a lower dose, while Effexor, an entirely different medication used primarily for depression and anxiety, has no relation to the treatment of migraines with sumatriptan. Therefore, only Imitrex 50 mg tablets maintain the same therapeutic profile as sumatriptan 50 mg tablets.