Singulair (montelukast) is primarily used to help manage and prevent asthma symptoms, especially for people with mild asthma or as an additional therapy when asthma isn’t fully controlled by inhalers or other standard treatments[1][2][3][4][5].
It is also prescribed to:
- Prevent exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (exercise-induced asthma) in adults and children ages 6 and older[1][2][3][4][6][7].
- Relieve symptoms of allergic rhinitis (both seasonal outdoor and perennial indoor allergies), such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal itching, and congestion, generally when other allergy treatments are inadequate or not tolerated[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8].
- Less commonly, it may be used for treating hives (chronic urticaria) lasting longer than six weeks, especially when other therapies don’t work[4][5].
Singulair works by blocking leukotrienes, substances in the body that cause narrowing and inflammation of airways, thereby helping ease breathing and control allergy symptoms[1][5][6].
It is not a rescue medication for acute asthma attacks and should not be used to treat sudden breathing problems; instead, it is taken regularly (often once nightly) as prescribed[2][4][5][7].
References
- [1] Montelukast – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
- [2] Montelukast: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings – Drugs.com
- [3] Montelukast: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action – DrugBank
- [4] About montelukast – NHS
- [5] Singulair (Montelukast): Uses, Side Effects and Safety – WebMD
- [6] Boxed Warning about mental health side effects for Singulair – FDA
- [7] Singulair: How it works, uses, and side effects – MedicalNewsToday
- [8] Montelukast: MedlinePlus Drug Information