What is the most important information I should know about montelukast?
Do not use montelukast to treat an
asthma attack that has already begun. It will not
work fast enough to reverse your symptoms. Use only a fast-acting inhalation medication to treat
an asthma attack. Talk with your doctor if any of your asthma medications do not seem to work
as well in treating or preventing asthma attacks.
It may take up to several weeks of using this medicine before your symptoms
improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your
symptoms do not improve after several weeks of treatment.
Call your doctor right away if you feel that this medicine is not working as well as usual,
or if it makes your condition worse. If it seems like you need to use more of any of your
medications in a 24-hour period, talk with your doctor.
If you already take this medication to prevent asthma or allergy
symptoms, do not use it for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
Call your doctor at once if you have any mood or behavior changes, anxiety,
depression, or thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
What is montelukast?
Montelukast is a leukotriene (loo-koe-TRY-een) inhibitor. Leukotrienes are chemicals
your body releases when you breathe in an allergen (such as pollen). These chemicals cause
swelling in your lungs and tightening of the muscles around your airways, which can result in
asthma symptoms.
Montelukast is used to prevent asthma attacks in adults and children as young as 12
months old. It is also used to relieve runny nose and sneezing caused by allergies in adults and
children as young as 6 months old.
Do not give this medication to a child without a doctor's advice.
Montelukast is also used to prevent exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (narrowing of
the air passages in the lungs) in people who are not already taking this medicine for other
conditions.
If you already take this medication to prevent asthma or allergy
symptoms, do not use it for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
Montelukast may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking montelukast?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to montelukast.
Before using montelukast, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially
aspirin), or if you have liver disease. You may not be able to use montelukast, or you may need
dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
The chewable tablet form of this medication may contain up to 0.842 milligrams of
phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of montelukast if you have
phenylketonuria (PKU).
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an
unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether montelukast passes into breast milk or if it could harm a
nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a
baby.
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