Accolate (zafirlukast)

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 purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to zafirlukast.

To make sure you can safely take zafirlukast, tell your doctor if you have liver disease.

The chewable tablet form of this medication may contain up to 0.842 milligrams of phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of zafirlukast if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Zafirlukast can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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 a serious side effect such as:

• 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).

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

Your pharmacist can provide more information about zafirlukast.