Singulair Side Effects The Link Between Singulair And Suicide Rates
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An Introduction to Singulair and Side Effects. Singulair is a block buster asthma drug therapy medicine. As with any medicine, side effects are possible with this drug (montelukast sodium); however, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. This drug is taken to prevent and treat asthma. In recent years, it was discovered this medicine was also effective for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Singulair has left a remarkable scientific legacy. It’s active ingredient is montelukast, which is a type of medicine known as a leukotriene receptor antagonist. Singulair 10mg tablets are suitable for adults aged 15 years and over. Singulair 10mg tablets are not recommended for children under 15 years of age. Singulair works by blocking leukotrienes, powerful substances that are involved in the inflammatory process associated with asthma. Now available by prescription in more than 75 countries, SINGULAIR® was discovered and developed by scientists at the Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in Montréal. In 1994, following Phase I pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety studies, the efficacy and general tolerability of SINGULAIR® for the chronic treatment of asthma in adults (15 years of age and older) and in pediatric patients (6 to 14 years of age) were demonstrated in a series of Phase II and Phase III clinical trials.
The story of SINGULAIR® began in 1938, when a British researcher named Charles Halliley Kellaway discovered slow-reacting substance anaphylaxis (SRS-A) in the lungs of animals. Singulair is a leukotriene receptor antagonist that is used, either alone or in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids, to reduce the frequency of acute asthma attacks. Do not take Singulair to relieve an asthma attack. General Precautions with Singulair: It is very important that you continue to take your other asthma medicines unless your doctor tells you to stop. Reports of patients experiences after Singulair became available include: Allergic reactions including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat, (which may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing), hives, and itching. Stop taking Singulair and call your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Although Singulair has not been shown to cause this condition, you must tell your doctor right away if you get one or more of these symptoms.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it is investigating a possible link between the use of the asthma and allergy medication Singulair (montelukast) and behavior or mood changes, including suicidal thinking and action. The investigation is based upon a small number of reported suicides among millions of people who have taken Singulair. None of the more than 50 studies of Singulair involving more than 12,000 adults and children have reported a link between Singulair and suidical thoughts or actions. Until then, no one can be sure if there is any link between Singulair and suicide. In the meantime, physicians at National Jewish recommend that patients taking Singulair, and the related medications Accolate, Zyflo, and Zyflo CR, should continue taking those medications as long as they are effective and the patient does not experience any suicidal behavior or thoughts. There are no data from well-designed studies to indicate a link between Singulair and suicide. Furthermore, comparative data are lacking on the incidence of suicide in the general population versus the incidence in patients taking Singulair. Based on the information currently available, patients taking Singulair should continue to take the medication as prescribed provided: 1) the patient and physician feel the medication is effective; and 2) the patient does not experience any suicidal behavior or thoughts.
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