Why is it prescribed?
Accolate® tablets contains zafirlukast.
Zafirlukast is used for the prevention and long term treatment of mild to moderate asthma in adults and children over the age of 12 years of age.
Accolate® should be considered to be an add-on therapy following initial management with an as needed short-acting beta-agonist, an inhaled corticosteroid, or inhaled corticosteroid together with a long-acting beta agonist in patients who continue to experience asthma symptoms.
Side Effects
Accolate® tablets contains zafirlukast.
Along with its needed effects, zarfirlukast may cause some unwanted or undesirable effects. The frequency and severity of unwanted effects are dependant on many factors including dose and individual susceptibility. Generally, zafirlukast is well tolerated and many people will not experience unwanted effects. Possible unwanted effects include:
Uncommon
- infections (more common in people over 55 years of age)
- nausea
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
Rare
- Contact your doctor if you experience flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite,nausea,tiredness, itchiness, pain on the right side of your stomach, yellow colouring of skin and eyes, dark urine, discoloured stools.
Precautions and Warnings for Accolate® tablets
Accolate® tablets contains zafirlukast
It is important that Accolate® users understand that this medication is not a bronchodilator and should not be used as a rescue or as a relief medication for an asthma attack that has already started.
People over the age of 65 may not eliminate Accolate® from the body as quickly as younger people and therefore may not require the same dose as younger adults. You may want to consult your physician about this, especially if you are experiencing unwanted effects.
People over the age of 55 may be slightly more susceptible to infections while on Accolate® .
Rarely Accolate® may cause some changes to occur in the liver which may be serious in nature. If you think you may have any of the following: flu-like symptoms,loss of appetite,nausea,tiredness, itchiness, pain on the right side of your stomach, yellow colouring of skin and eyes, dark urine, discoloured stools contact your doctor immediately.
In extremely rare occasions, people who reduced or stopped taking oral corticosteriods (e.g. prednisone) while on Accolate® experienced a condition known as Churg-Strauss syndrome. This syndrome can be very serious. If your doctor decides to reduce your oral corticosteriod dose, watch for the following symptoms: fever, muscle aches, pains and weight loss.
Drug Interactions: Accolate® can affect the way your body handles many other drugs. It is very important that you inform your doctor and pharmacist of all the prescription and over-the-counter medications that you are taking. The following drugs and drug classes have been known to interact with Accolate® :
- warfarin (e.g. Coumadin®)
- erythromycin (e.g. Erythromid®)
- ASA (e.g. Aspirin®)
- theophylline (e.g. Theo-Dur®)
- phenytoin (e.g. Dilantin®)
- carbamazepine (e.g. Tegretol®)
- tolbutamide.
Use is not recommended in the following situations:
- allergy to zafirlukast or any of the components of the medication
- liver problems
Use in pregnancy: If you suspect you might be pregnant consult your doctor or pharmacist. Use while breastfeeding: Zafirlukast does pass into the breast milk. Do not breastfeed while taking this medicine.
Patient Information
Accolate® tablets should be taken on a continual basis, even during symptom-free periods. It is not a bronchodilator and is therefore of no use as a rescue medication.
Keep a diary of the time, frequency, and severity of your asthma episodes for the first two months after starting Accolate®. This will help your doctor assess how well you are responding to the new medication and will assist him/her in adjusting the therapy for maximum benefit.
Take Accolate® on an empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals).
It is important not to adjust your dosage without first consulting your doctor. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If several hours have passed or if it is approaching time for your next dose, do not take two doses at the same time and skip the missed dose. If you are uncertain when it is too late to take a missed dose, consult your pharmacist.
Store Accolate® at room temperature (15 to 30 degrees centigrade) in a dry environment away from direct sunlight.
Directions for Use
The recommended dose of Accolate® for adults and children over the age of 12 years old is 20 mg twice daily, in the morning and evening, for a total daily dose of 40mg.
Lung Diseases Treated with this Drug
Need More Information?
For more information contact your physician, pharmacist, other health care professional or for general questions call your local lung association.
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