Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Accolate

Generic Name: zafirlukast (Pronunciation: za FIR loo cast)

• What is zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• What are the possible side effects of zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• What is the most important information I should know about zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• How should I take zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Accolate)?
• What happens if I overdose (Accolate)?
• What should I avoid while taking zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• What other drugs will affect zafirlukast (Accolate)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is zafirlukast (Accolate)?

Zafirlukast 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.

Zafirlukast is used to treat and prevent asthma attacks in adults and children as young as 5 years old.

Do not give this medication to a child without a doctor's advice.

Zafirlukast may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Accolate 10 mg

round, white, imprinted with ACCOLATE 10, ZENECA

Accolate 20 mg

round, white, imprinted with ACCOLATE 20, ZENECA

What are the possible side effects of zafirlukast (Accolate)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• worsening asthma symptoms;
• mood or behavior changes, anxiety, depression, or thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself;
• skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness; or
• nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• headache;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;
• weakness;
• dizziness;
• muscle pain; or
• fever, sore throat, cold symptoms.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about zafirlukast (Accolate)?

Do not use zafirlukast 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.