SINGULAIR
5mg & 10mg Tablet
Montelukast sodium
What SINGULAIR is used for
SINGULAIR is used to treat asthma, including
preventing asthma symptoms during the day and night. It also
prevents the narrowing of airways triggered by
exercise.
SINGULAIR can be used in children 6 years of
age and older, teenagers and adults.
SINGULAIR tablets are not used to treat an
acute attack of asthma. If an acute attack occurs, follow your
doctor's instructions for that situation.
Asthma is a lung disease and has the following
characteristics:
- narrowed airways causing breathing to
become difficult
- inflamed airways, which means the lining of
airways become swollen
- sensitive airways that react to many
things, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, or cold air.
Symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing
and chest tightness. Not all people with asthma wheeze. For
some, coughing may be the only symptom of asthma. Symptoms
often occur during the night or after exercise.
SINGULAIR belongs to a group of medicines
called leukotriene receptor antagonists. It works by blocking
substances in your lungs called leukotrienes that cause
narrowing and swelling of airways. Blocking leukotrienes
improves asthma symptoms and helps prevent asthma
attacks.
Your doctor may have prescribed SINGULAIR for
another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions
about why SINGULAIR has been prescribed for you.
SINGULAIR is not addictive.
Before you take SINGULAIR
When you must not take it
Do not take SINGULAIR if:
- you have an allergy to SINGULAIR or any of
the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
- the packaging is torn or shows signs of
tampering
- the expiry date on the pack has passed
- if you take this medicine after the expiry
date has passed, it may not work.
If you are not sure whether you should start
taking SINGULAIR, talk to your doctor.
Do not give SINGULAIR to children under 6
years of age.
Safety and effectiveness in children younger
than 6 years of age have not been studied.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if:
- you are pregnant or intend to become
pregnant
SINGULAIR has not been studied in pregnant
women.
- you are breast-feeding or plan to
breast-feed
It is not known if SINGULAIR passes into
breast milk.
- if you have or have had any medical
conditions
- if you have any allergies to any other
medicines or any other substances, such as foods,
preservatives or dyes.
If you have not told your doctor about any of
the above, tell them before you take any SINGULAIR.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other
medicines, including medicines that you buy without a
prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food
shop.
Some medicines may affect the way other
medicines work. However, SINGULAIR has not been shown to
interfere with other medicines.
How to take SINGULAIR
How much to take
Take SINGULAIR only when prescribed by your
doctor.
For adults and teenagers 15 years and older,
the dose is one 10 mg tablet taken each day at
bedtime.
For children 6 to 14 years old, the dose is
one 5 mg chewable tablet taken each day at bedtime.
Follow all directions given to you by your
doctor carefully. They may differ from the information
contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on
the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How to take it
SINGULAIR comes as two types of tablets:
- 10 mg tablets for adults and teenagers 15
years and older
- 5 mg chewable tablets for children 6-14
years old.
Swallow the 10 mg tablet with a glass of
water.
Chew the 5 mg chewable tablet thoroughly and
swallow.
When to take it
Take your SINGULAIR at bedtime each
day.
Taking your tablet at bedtime each day will
have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to
take the tablets.
It does not matter if you take SINGULAIR
before or after food.
How long to take it
SINGULAIR helps control your asthma. Therefore
SINGULAIR must be taken every day. Continue taking SINGULAIR
for as long as your doctor prescribes.
If you forget to take it
Skip the dose you missed and take your next
dose at bedtime as usual.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the
dose that you missed.
If you have trouble remembering to take your
tablets, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the
National Poisons Information Centre (telephone 03 4747000) for
advice, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken
too much SINGULAIR. Do this even if there are no signs of
discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using SINGULAIR
Things you must do
Continue taking SINGULAIR every day as
directed by your doctor, even if you have no asthma symptoms
or if you have an asthma attack.
If your asthma gets worse while taking
SINGULAIR, tell your doctor immediately.
If an acute attack of asthma occurs, follow
your doctor's instructions on what medicines to use to relieve
the attack.
If you become pregnant while taking SINGULAIR,
tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to be started on any new
medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking
SINGULAIR.
Things you must not do
Do not give SINGULAIR to anyone else, even if
they have the same condition as you.
Adverse Effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as
possible if you do not feel well while you are taking
SINGULAIR.
SINGULAIR helps most people with asthma, but
it may have unwanted adverse effects in a few people. All
medicines can have adverse effects. Sometimes they are
serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical
treatment if you get some of the adverse effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any
questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the
following and they worry you:
In studies, these are the more common adverse
effects of SINGULAIR. For the most part these have been mild
and occurred as often in patients treated with SINGULAIR or
placebo (a tablet containing no medicine).
Additionally, the following have been
reported:
- dream abnormalities
- drowsiness
- irritability
- restlessness
If any of the following happen, stop taking
SINGULAIR and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident
and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or
throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
- severe and sudden onset of pinkish, itchy
swellings on the skin, also called hives or nettlerash
Other adverse effects not listed above may
also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice
any other effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible
adverse effects. You may not experience any of
them.
After using SINGULAIR
Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it
is time to take them. If you take the tablets out the blister
pack they may not keep well.
Keep SINGULAIR in a cool dry place where the
temperature stays below 30ºC. Do not store it or any other
medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car or on window
sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some
medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach
it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half
metres above the ground is a good place to store
medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking the
tablets, or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask
your pharmacist what to do with any that are left
over.
Product description
What it looks like
SINGULAIR comes as two types of tablets:
- 10 mg tablet - beige, rounded square tablet
with SINGULAIR marked on one side and MSD 117 on the other.
- 5 mg chewable tablet - pink, round tablet
with SINGULAIR marked on one side and MSD 275 on the other.
A box of SINGULAIR contains 30
tablets.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
- 10 mg tablet contains 10 mg montelukast
sodium
- 5 mg chewable tablet contains 5 mg
montelukast sodium.
Inactive ingredients:
10 mg tablets
