MONTELUKAST (Singulair) is used for prevention and long-term treatment of asthma. It is also used to relieve allergy symptoms. Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist. It works by blocking a substance called leukotriene, which helps to decrease certain asthma and allergy symptoms.
Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist. It is used to reduce asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, or chest tightness) and control asthma. It is not used to treat a sudden asthma attack. Montelukast may also be used to treat seasonal allergies, like hay fever.
Tell your doctor if any of these apply to you:
you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding
you have an acute asthma attack
you have an unusual or allergic reaction to Montelukast, any other medicine, foods, dyes, preservatives, or other substances
you have liver disease (eg, hepatitis)
you are on corticosteroid therapy, like prednisone or inhalers
you have phenylketonuria
How to use:
Strictly follow your doctor's directions
Take Montelukast every day at the roughly same time
Do not take Montelukast more often than directes
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remeber
Avoid taking double or extra doses
Safety issues:
Montelukast is only used to help prevent asthma attacks; it is not used as a "quick-relief" medicine to treat an asthma attack. Therefore, you should always have your "quick-relief" medicine with you to treat an asthma attack. Talk with your prescriber about what you should do if you have an acute asthma attack.
Tell your prescriber or health care professional if your symptoms do not improve or if your asthma gets worse. If you find that your medicines become less effective in treating your asthma, you should contact your health care professional as soon as possible.
Do not stop taking or decrease the use of your other asthma treatments, including steroids, when starting montelukast unless otherwise directed by their health care prescriber. Follow your prescriber's directions exactly.
Montelukast works best if you use it regularly even when you do not have asthma symptoms. Do not stop using your medication without your prescriber's advice.
What drug(s) may interact with Montelukast?
troglitazone
carbamazepine
rosiglitazone
cerivastatin
rifampin
paclitaxel
rifabutin
phenobarbital
phenytoin
repaglinide
Possible side effects:
If you experience these side effects, you should contact your doctor immediately:
yellowing of skin or eyes
a feeling of pins and needles or numbness of arms and legs
wheezing or continued coughing
dark brown or yellow urine
diarrhea
vomiting
easy bruising or bleeding
swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or tongue
severe stomach pain
edema or swelling of the legs and ankles
skin rash and itching
fatigue or weakness
seizures or convulsions
muscle aches and cramps
fever
flu-like illness
These side effects usually don't require medical attention (but you should contact your doctor if they continue or are bothersome):
unusual dreams
cough
runny nose
difficulty sleeping
nausesa
dizziness or drowsiness
indigestion or stomach upset
headache
heartburn
hoarseness or sore throat
What is the shelf life of the pills?
The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.
What is a generic pill?
Generic drug (pl. generic drugs, short: generics) is a drug which is produced and distributed without a brand name. A generic must contain the same active ingredients as the original formulation. In most cases, it is considered bioequivalent to the brand name counterpart with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
