{blacktriangledown}Montelukast and {blacktriangledown}zafirlukast in asthma

doi:10.1136/dtb.1998.36965

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1998;36:65-68; doi:10.1136/dtb.1998.36965

${blacktriangledown}$ Montelukast and ${blacktriangledown}$ zafirlukast in asthma

Relevant BNF section: 3.3

${blacktriangledown}$ Montelukast (Singulair - Merck Sharp & Dohme) and ${blacktriangledown}$ zafirlukast(Accolate - Zeneca) are two of a new class of drugs for thetreatment of asthma that have recently been marketed in theUK - the leukotriene receptor antagonists. Montelukast is licensedas add-on therapy in adults and children (6 years and over)with mild to moderate persistent asthma which is inadequatelycontrolled by inhaled corticosteroids and 'as needed' short-actingß-agonists. It is also licensed for the prophylaxis ofasthma in which the predominant component is exercise-inducedbronchoconstriction. Zafirlukast has recently been licensedin the UK "for the treatment of asthma" in adults and children(over 12 years of age). In this article, we assess the placeof these two new drugs in the treatment of asthma.