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Accolate |
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What is Accolate and why is it prescribed? Accolate helps prevent asthma attacks and is prescribed for long-term treatment. Accolate will not stop an asthma attack once it starts so you will still need to use an airway-opening medication when an attack occurs. How should you take Accolate? Follow your doctors directions for taking Accolate. Accolate should be taken twice every day, whether or not you have had any recent asthma attacks. Do not take Accolate with food. Allow at least one hour to pass before eating, or wait for two hours after a meal. You can continue to take Accolate while using another medication to stop an attack. If you miss a dose take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take two doses at once. Storage Accolate at room temperature in a dark, dry place. Are there any Accolate side effects? Accolate side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. More common Accolate side effects may include headache, infection, and nausea. Less common Accolate side effects may include accidental injury, abdominal pain, allergic reactions, back pain, diarrhea, dizziness, fever, generalized pain, indigestion, joint pain, muscle aches, vomiting, and weakness. What are the possible food and drug interactions when taking Accolate? If Accolate is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Be sure to inform your doctor of all the prescription and over the counter medications you are taking. A full stomach can reduce Accolate's effectiveness. Do not take Accolate with meals. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Accolate with Aspirin (Ecotrin, Genuine Bayer, others), Astemizole (Hismanal), Blood-thinning drugs (such as Coumadin), Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), Erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, others), Heart and blood pressure medications (called calcium channel blockers, including Calan, Cardizem, and Procardia), Phenytoin (Dilantin), Terfenadine (Seldane), Theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), or Tolbutamide (Orinase). Are there any special warnings about Accolate? While taking Accolate, you should not stop, or even cut down on, any other asthma medication you are using unless your doctor recommends it. You will still need an inhaler to stop an attack. If you have been taking an oral steroid drug and your doctor does decide to cut back the dosage, there is a remote chance that complications will follow. Inform your doctor of any new symptoms. Also call your doctor if you develop any of the following: pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, itching, flu-like symptoms, or jaundice. These are signs of a liver problem, a rare side effect of Accolate that tends to develop more often in women. If tests show the problem to be serious, you will have to stop using the drug. The symptoms will disappear once you stop. |
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Information on this website is provided for educational purposes and should not replace discussions with your doctor. |
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