Accolate Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: Zafirlukast

ZAFIRLUKAST (Accolate®) helps to reduce asthma symptoms including such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness and control your asthma. It does not provide instant relief and cannot be used to treat a sudden asthma attack. It works only when used on a regular basis to help reduce inflammation and prevent asthma attacks.

Accolate Dosage

• The usual dose for adults and children 12 years of age and over is 20 milligrams twice a day.
• The usual dose for children 5 to 11 years of age is 10 milligrams twice a day.

Uses of Accolate

• It is used for the prevention and treatment of chronic asthma. It is not intended for acute attacks.
• This drug may also be used to minimize breathing problems caused by exercising or sensitivity to aspirin.

Side Effects of Accolate

If you are taking this medication, then discuss the side effects with your doctor. If you feel any change in intensity, then you should tell your doctor. Because only your doctor can determine if it is safe to continue using Accolate. Side effects may include:

• Accidental injury
• abdominal pain
• allergic reactions
• back pain
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• fever
• generalized pain
• indigestion
• joint pain
• muscle aches
• vomiting
• weakness

Warnings and precautions before taking Accolate:

• You should tell your doctor your medical history, especially if you have liver problems, and any allergies.
• Also call your doctor if you develop any of the following: pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, itching, flu-like symptoms, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
• While taking Accolate, you should not stop--or even cut down on--any other asthma medication you are using unless your doctor recommends it.

Drug Interaction :-

If you are taking certain drugs with Accolate, then it may decreased, increased or altered the effects of Accolate medicine. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Accolate with the following:

• Aspirin (Ecotrin, Genuine Bayer, others)
  
• Astemizole (Hismanal)
  
• Blood-thinning drugs such as Coumadin
  
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  
• Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
  
• Erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, others)
  
• Heart and blood pressure medications called calcium channel
• blockers, including Calan, Cardizem, and Procardia
  
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
  
• Terfenadine (Seldane)
  
• Theophylline (Theo-Dur, others)
  
• Tolbutamide (Orinase)

Overdose

When you are taking Accolate, and you feel that overdose is suspected then contact your doctor immediately. Symptoms of an Accolate overdose may include:-

• Rash
• upset stomach