Accolate (Zafirlukast): Uses, Dosage & Side Effects - RxList

Accolate is a brand name for the prescription tablet medication zafirlukast. Doctors commonly prescribe Accolate for the treatment of mild to moderate asthma.

Function

• Accolate works by inhibiting the actions of a chemical in your body known as leukotriene, which causes the muscles in your airways to swell and constrict.

Effects

• Because of it inhibits leukotriene, Accolate reduces symptoms of asthma and reduces the amount of asthma attacks that you experience, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Dosage

• For adults, doctors typically prescribe 20 mg of Accolate twice daily and 10mg twice daily for children ages 5 to 12, reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accolate is not safe for use in children under 5.

Drug Interactions

• When taken with blood thinning medications like warfarin, Accolate poses a risk for prolonged or uncontrollable bleeding, explains the FDA.

Risks

• The most common side effects of Accolate are headaches, increased incidences of bacterial and viral infections, nausea and diarrhea. Accolate also has the potential to cause liver failure in some patients, cautions the FDA.

Considerations

• Because it is known to cause harmful effects upon developing fetuses in laboratory animals, doctors rarely prescribe Accolate for use in pregnant women, warns the Mayo Clinic.