Montelukast 10 Mg Film-Coated Tablets
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Montelukast
For adolescents and adults from 15 years
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, please ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What [Montelukast] is and what it is used for
2. Before you take [Montelukast]
3. How to take [Montelukast]
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store [Montelukast]
6. Further information
1. WHAT [MONTELUKAST] IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
[Montelukast] is a leukotriene receptor antagonist that blocks substances called leukotrienes. Leukotrienes cause narrowing and swelling of airways in your lungs and also cause allergy symptoms. By blocking leukotrienes, [Montelukast] improves asthma symptoms, helps control asthma and improves seasonal allergy symptoms (also known as hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis).
Your doctor has prescribed [Montelukast] to treat asthma, preventing your asthma symptoms during the day and night.
• [Montelukast] is used for the treatment of patients who are not adequately controlled on their medication and need additional therapy.
• [Montelukast] also helps prevent the narrowing of airways triggered by exercise.
• In those asthmatic patients in whom [Montelukast] is indicated in asthma, [Montelukast] can also provide symptomatic relief of seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Your doctor will determine how [Montelukast] should be used depending on the symptoms and severity of your asthma.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a long-term disease. Asthma includes:
• difficulty breathing because of narrowed airways. This narrowing of airways worsens and improves in response to various conditions.
• sensitive airways that react to many things, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, cold air, or exercise.
• swelling (inflammation) in the lining of the
airways. Symptoms of asthma include: Coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness.
What are seasonal allergies?
Seasonal allergies (also known as hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis) are an allergic response often caused by airborne pollens from trees, grasses and weeds.
The symptoms of seasonal allergies typically may include: stuffy, runny, itchy nose; sneezing; watery, swollen, red, itchy eyes.
2. BEFORE YOU TAKE [MONTELUKAST]
Tell your doctor about any medical problems or allergies you have now or have had.
Do not take [Montelukast] if you
• are allergic (hypersensitive) to montelukast, soya, peanut or any of the other ingredients of [Montelukast] (see 6. Further information).
Take special care with [Montelukast]
• If your asthma or breathing gets worse, tell your doctor immediately.
• Oral [Montelukast] is not meant to treat acute asthma attacks. If an attack occurs, follow the instructions your doctor has given you. Always have your inhaled rescue medicine for asthma attacks with you.
• It is important that you or your child take all asthma medications prescribed by your doctor. [Montelukast] should not be substituted for other asthma medications your doctor has prescribed for you.
• Any patient on anti-asthma medicines should be aware that if you develop a combination of symptoms such as a flu-like illness, pins and needles or numbness of arms or legs, worsening of pulmonary symptoms, and/or rash, you should consult your doctor.
• You should not take acetyl-salicilic acid (aspirin) or anti-inflammatory medicines (also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs) if they make your asthma worse.
• If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
Use in children
[Montelukast] 10 mg film-coated tablets are not recommended for use in children and adolescents under the age of 15.
For children 2 to 5 years old, [Montelukast] 4 mg chewable tablets are available. For children 6 to 14 years old, [Montelukast] 5 mg chewable tablets are available.
Taking other medicines
Some medicines may affect how [Montelukast] works or [Montelukast] may affect how other medicines work.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken other medicines, including those obtained without a prescription.
Tell your doctor if you are taking the following medicines before starting [Montelukast]:
• phenobarbital (used for treatment of epilepsy)
• phenytoin (used for treatment of epilepsy)
• rifampicin (used to treat tuberculosis and some other infections)
Taking [Montelukast] with food and drink
[Montelukast] 10 mg may be taken with or without food.
Pregnancy and Breast-feeding
Use in pregnancy
Women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant should consult their doctor before taking [Montelukast]. Your doctor will assess whether you can take [Montelukast] during this time.
Use in breast-feeding
It is not known if [Montelukast] appears in breast milk. You should consult your doctor before taking [Montelukast] if you are breast-feeding or intend to breast-feed.
Driving and using machines
[Montelukast] is not expected to affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, individual responses to medication may vary. Certain side effects (such as dizziness and drowsiness) that have been reported very rarely with [Montelukast] may affect some patients’ ability to drive or operate machinery.
Important information about some of the ingredients of [Montelukast]
[Montelukast] 10 mg film-coated tablets contain lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
[Montelukast] contains soya oil. If you are allergic to soja or peanut, do not use this medicinal product.
3. HOW TO TAKE [MONTELUKAST]
• You should take only one tablet of [Montelukast] once a day as prescribed by your doctor.
• It should be taken even when you have no symptoms or have an acute asthma attack.
• Always take [Montelukast] as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
• To be taken by mouth
For adults 15 years of age and older:
One 10 mg tablet to be taken daily in the evening. [Montelukast] 10 mg may be taken with or without food.
If you are taking [Montelukast], be sure that you do not take any other products that contain the same active ingredient, montelukast.
If you take more [Montelukast] than you should
Contact your doctor immediately for advice.
There were no side effects reported in the majority of overdosage reports. The most frequently occurring symptoms reported with overdosage in adults and children included abdominal pain, sleepiness, thirst, headache, vomiting, and hyperactivity.
If you forget to take [Montelukast]
Try to take [Montelukast] as prescribed. However, if you miss a dose, just resume the usual schedule of one tablet once daily.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking [Montelukast]
[Montelukast] can treat your asthma only if you continue to take it.
It is important to continue taking [Montelukast] for as long as your doctor prescribes. It will help control your asthma.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines, [Montelukast] can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
In clinical studies with [Montelukast] 10 mg film-coated tablets, the most commonly (in more than 1 in 100, or less than 1 in 10 treated patients) reported side effects thought to be related to [Montelukast] were:
• abdominal pain
• headache
These were usually mild and occurred at a greater frequency in patients treated with [Montelukast] or placebo (a pill containing no medication).
Additionally, while the drug has been on the market, the following have been reported:
• increase bleeding tendency,epistaxis
• allergic reactions including rash, swelling of the face, lips , tongue, and/ or throat which may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing
• behaviour and mood related changes [dream abnormalities, including nightmares, hallucinations, irritation, feeling anxious, restlessness, agitation including aggressive behaviour, tremor, depression, trouble sleeping, suicidal thoughts and actions (in very rare cases)]
• dizziness, drowsiness, pins and needles/numbness, seizure
• palpitations
• nosebleed
• diarrhoea, dry mouth, indigestion, nausea, vomiting
• hepatitis
bruising, itching, hives, tender red lumps under the skin most commonly on your shins(erythema nodosum),
• joint or muscle pain, muscle cramps
• tiredness, feeling unwell,swelling, fever
In asthmatic patients treated with Montelukast, very rare cases of a combination of symptoms such as flu-like illness, pins and needles or numbness of arms and legs, worsening of pulmonary symptoms and/or rash (Churg-Strauss syndrome) have been reported. You must tell your doctor right away if you get one or more of these symptoms.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about side effects. If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
5. HOW TO STORE [MONTELUKAST]
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
• Do not use this medicine after the date shown by the six numbers following EXP on the blister. The first two numbers indicate the month; the last four numbers indicate the year. This medicine expires at the end of the month shown.
• Store in the original package in order to protect from light and moisture.
• Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. FURTHER INFORMATION
What [Montelukast] contains
• The active substance is: montelukast
10 mg tablet contains 10.4 mg montelukast sodium which corresponds to 10 mg of montelukast.
• The other ingredients are:
Tablet core: Microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, croscarmellose sodium, Hydroxypropyl cellulose and magnesium stearate.
Film coating: Polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide, talc, iron oxide red, iron oxide black, iron oxide yellow, lecithin and xanthan gum.
What [Montelukast] looks like and contents of the pack
[Montelukast] 10 mg tablets are beige, round, biconvex, film-coated tablets.
UK/H/2689/01/DC:
<In packs of: 14 and 28 tablets.>
Not all pack sizes may be marketed
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Pharmathen S.A., 6 Dervenakion str., Pallini Attiki, 15351 Greece Tel.: +30 210 666 4300 Fax: +30 210 666 6749 E-mail: info@pharmathen.com
Manufacturer:
Pharmathen S.A., 6 Dervenakion str., Pallini Attiki, 15351 Greece Tel.: +30 210 666 4300 Fax: +30 210 666 6749 E-mail: info@pharmathen.com
This medicinal product is authorized in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:
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UK/H/2689/01/DC: UK Italy Lithuania Poland Slovak Republic |
Nukast 10 mg Estonia Montelukast Olainfarm 10mg FILKAST 10mg Montelukast Olainfarm 10mg Montekast Montexin 10mg |
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This leaflet was approved in 06/2010. |