Accolate is a prescription drug that is taken twice a day to prevent asthma attacks. This eMedTV Web page offers dosing information, describes the effects of the drug, and lists side effects that may occur during treatment with this medication.
Among the common side effects of Accolate are nausea, diarrhea, and headaches. This eMedTV segment lists other possible Accolate side effects, including serious problems that should be reported to a doctor (such as signs of liver damage).
As this eMedTV segment explains, Accolate is used for preventing asthma attacks in both adults and children. This article further explores Accolate uses in children and discusses possible "off-label" uses of the medication.
For adults and children over the age of 12, the recommended Accolate dosage is 20 mg twice daily. This eMedTV resource also provides Accolate dosing recommendations for children ages 5 to 11 and lists some general tips on taking the drug.
If you take phenytoin, theophylline, or warfarin with Accolate, drug interactions can potentially occur. This eMedTV article lists other drugs that can potentially interact with Accolate and explains what may occur as a result of these interactions.
Accolate is not a fast-acting asthma medication and should not be used to treat an asthma attack. This eMedTV page provides other Accolate warnings and precautions, such as the safety of taking the drug while pregnant and people who shouldn't take it.
Accolate is generally considered to be safe for use during pregnancy. As this page on the eMedTV site explains, in previous animal studies involving Accolate and pregnancy, the drug did not cause problems when it was given to pregnant rats.
If you're breastfeeding or thinking of breastfeeding and have been prescribed Accolate, talk to your doctor. This eMedTV segment further explores Accolate and breastfeeding, noting that the drug's possible effects on a nursing infant are not known.
Symptoms of an Accolate overdose may include an upset stomach or rash. As this eMedTV Web page explains, a doctor may treat an Accolate overdose by "pumping the stomach," giving certain drugs, or administering supportive care.
A generic Accolate drug won't be available until at least 2010. This eMedTV page lists circumstances that could push that date past 2010 (such as lawsuits) and explains that zafirlukast is Accolate's active ingredient, not a generic version of the drug.
