Montelukast

Authored by

Dr Muhammad Zeeshan Afzal

20 August 2024

What is Montelukast?

Montelukast is a long-term asthma medication that can prevent the onset of asthma attacks and symptoms. This asthma medicine comes in tablet form and should be used as a long-term preventer rather than an immediate reliever.

Description

Montelukast for Asthma & Breathing Problems

Asthma is a common lung condition that can cause a range of breathing difficulties that happen randomly or after exposure to a trigger. Triggers may include common allergies to pollen or animal dander, infections, environmental changes or from exercise.

Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist that blocks substances called leukotrienes in order to treat asthma. Montelukast can be used by those wanting to treat asthma symptoms and improves seasonal allergy symptoms.

What is a Montelukast and how does it work?

Montelukast blocks leukotrienes which are responsible for the narrowing and swelling of airways in the lungs and also cause allergy symptoms.

Is a Montelukast right for me?

If you are diagnosed with asthma, COPD or other breathing condition, you may be prescribed Montelukast by a doctor or healthcare professional. However, it may not be suitable for you if you have the following:

If you are allergic to montelukast or any other ingredients in this medicine
If you are under the age of 15
If you are on medications such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, gemfibrozil

How to take Montelukast?

Always take Montelukast exactly as prescribed by your doctor or advised by the pharmacist. The recommended starting dose for adults is one 10mg tablet taken daily in the evening, however, in presence of other factors, this may be increased or decreased accordingly as per the prescriber's clinical judgement.

For adults with asthma:

You should take only one tablet of Montelukast once a day as prescribed by your doctor
The recommended starting dose is one 10mg tablet taken daily in the evening
You can take Montelukast with or without food

Side Effects

All medications can cause potential side effects, below we have listed some potential side effects of Montelukast. However, these do not always occur and are mostly mild in nature. But if you experience any prolonged or worrying side effects of Montelukast, please discontinue the medication immediately and consult your doctor.

Common side effects include:

Abdominal pain
Headache

Warnings and Precautions

Montelukast may not be safe if taken with other medication or recreational drugs. Please inform the prescriber if you are taking any of the listed medications.

DO NOT use Montelukast:

If you are allergic to montelukast or any other ingredients in this medicine
If you are under the age of 15
If you are on medications such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, gemfibrozil

The above-listed warnings are not exhaustive, please consult a doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you have further questions on the use of this medication or potential interactions with other medicines.

Montelukast Patient Leaflet

To view the Montelukast Patient Leaflet click here.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Welzo does not endorse or sell the medication discussed, nor do we recommend using this information as a substitute for professional healthcare. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions regarding your health or medical treatment. Welzo assumes no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.