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Singulair is a leukotriene (loo-koe-TRY-een) inhibitor. Leukotrienes are chemicals your body releases when you breathe in an allergen (such as pollen)...
DEAR ASK THE DOCTOR: What is Singulair?
DEAR VERN: Singulair 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.
Singulair 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 Singulair to a child without a doctor's advice.
Singulair 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 Singulair to prevent asthma or allergy symptoms, do not use it for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.
Do not use Singulair 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 Singulair 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. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 September 2009 )
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